Raipur, December 4, 2025 - India faced a stunning defeat against South Africa in the second ODI, failing to defend a formidable score of 358. The loss has leveled the series 1-1, leaving fans and analysts dissecting what went wrong for the Men in Blue.
India's captain, KL Rahul, has pinpointed a key factor that he believes contributed significantly to the defeat: the toss. Speaking after the match, Rahul expressed his disappointment, stating that the toss played a decisive role in the outcome. He felt that winning the toss would have allowed India to better control the game, particularly considering the conditions that emerged later in the match.
The IndianExpress reported that KL Rahul was disappointed by the toss loss and admitted that it impacted their 4-wicket defeat to South Africa.
India's batting performance was undeniably strong, with Ruturaj Gaikwad scoring his maiden ODI century (105) and Virat Kohli continuing his remarkable form with another century (102). KL Rahul himself contributed a quickfire 66*. Their combined efforts propelled India to a total that would typically be enough to secure a victory. However, South Africa's Aiden Markram (110) and Matthew Breetzke led a successful chase, reaching the target with four wickets to spare.
Several factors contributed to South Africa's successful chase. Dew played a significant role, making the ball skid on and hindering the spinners' ability to grip it. This made it easier for the South African batsmen to score, as even good deliveries became hittable.
In addition to the dew, India's fielding and bowling came under scrutiny. A costly dropped catch by Yashasvi Jaiswal, giving Markram a reprieve when he was on 53, proved to be a turning point. Markram went on to make a match-winning century. The Indian bowlers, with the exception of Arshdeep Singh and Ravindra Jadeja, proved expensive. Prasidh Krishna and Kuldeep Yadav particularly struggled, failing to build pressure and control the run rate.
Some analysts also pointed out India's inability to accelerate in the final overs as a contributing factor. Despite being at 250 for two in the 38th over, they failed to capitalize on the strong platform and push for a higher total. The slow-paced innings of Ravindra Jadeja was also criticized.
Looking ahead, India will need to address these shortcomings ahead of the series decider in Visakhapatnam. While the batting looks strong, improvements are needed in the bowling and fielding departments to ensure they can defend totals under pressure. The final ODI promises to be a thrilling encounter as both teams vie for the series victory.
