Pant rues lack of execution in bowling

New Delhi: India captain Rishabh Pant feels his team lacked execution with the ball despite putting enough runs on the board to suffer a seven-wicket defeat at the hands of South Africa in the first T20 on Thursday. “I think we had enough on the board but were off with our execution, but credit to the opposition,” Pant said at the post-match press conference. “We thought the slower one was working when we were batting, but it became easier in the second innings. We were very happy with the total but next time we are in a similar situation we will do better.”

South Africa skipper Temba Bavuma was full of praise for Van der Dussen and Miller. “That was a proper batting display. David (Miller) carried his form, properly supported by Rassie (van der Dussen). It was a good wicket probably reading the situation better and (corrections needed) going to the death options earlier and taking away the boundary balls. “We have a lot of belief on Rassie. He takes it slowly and takes it on at the end. He is the guy who sees us through. With David, makes it very explosive,” Bavuma said.

Van der Dussen credits IPL for SA’s historic win over India

He might not have played a lot of games for Rajasthan Royals in this edition of IPL but Rassie van der Dussen counts his experience of watching close games from the dug-out as invaluable, something that helped while chasing a huge Indian total in first T20 International. Van der Dussen scored 75 off 46 balls as South Africa chased down a target of 212 in a canter in the first T20I against India. “Definitely (IPL has helped). I watched a lot of IPL games, did not get much of an opportunity to play but I had a pretty good idea what their bowlers would do and the conditions,” van der Dussen said at the post match press conference.

Can’t ask Rohit and Rahul to drop themselves for me:

Ishan Kishan Regular skipper Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul are quite few notches above him in terms of sheer quality and Ishan Kishan knows only too well that he can’t just ask the “world class” duo to “drop themselves” from playing XI in order to accommodate him. “I think they (Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul) are world-class players and I won’t ask for my spot when they are there in the team. They have scored so many runs for our country, I cannot ask them to drop themselves and make me play in the first place,” Kishan said at the post-match press conference.