It was the type of performance South Africa would have looked at in the rain-truncated 1st ODI against India. When the match started after a delay of over two hours, after initial setbacks the visitors did well to post a healthy 249/4 in their 40 overs on a pitch that afforded a bit of help to the bowlers. And when their turn came to bowl, they gave the Indian top order a tough time. There was a recovery but ultimately South Africa won by nine runs. 

Shreyas Iyer’s 50 and Sanju Samson’s unbeaten 86 went in vain. So did Shardul Thakur’s 33 off 31 balls as India finished with 240/8.