Dale Steyn Praises KL Rahul's Composed Leadership in ODI Series Victory
Steyn Commends KL Rahul's Leadership Skills
Dale Steyn, the renowned fast bowler, has expressed admiration for KL Rahul's leadership during the recent ODI series against South Africa. Under Rahul's captaincy, India secured a 2-1 series victory over the hosts. The Indian team triumphed in the first match in Ranchi by 17 runs and followed it up with a convincing nine-wicket win in the final ODI.
Insights from Dale Steyn on Rahul's Captaincy
During a segment on 'Cricket Live', Steyn emphasized Rahul's composed demeanor while leading the team. He noted that Rahul sought guidance from Rohit Sharma and received motivational support from Virat Kohli to inspire his teammates.
"KL Rahul's captaincy has been impressive throughout this series. He has effectively managed his bowlers, who have responded positively to his leadership. Even in challenging conditions with a wet ball, he maintained his composure. After the second ODI loss, when questioned about potential changes, he pointed to the toss as a significant factor. His calm and collected nature is evident, and he often consults Rohit Sharma for advice while also taking charge himself. He turns to Kohli for motivation, which has been beneficial for the team," Steyn remarked.
"The players respond well to his leadership, and his bowlers support him. For instance, Kuldeep Yadav sometimes insists on a DRS review for every decision, and KL has to help him stay grounded. Overall, I believe his captaincy has been commendable," added the South African cricket legend.
India Secures Series with a Commanding Performance
India clinched the ODI series 2-1 after a dominant nine-wicket victory in the final match against South Africa.
In this match, India won the toss and opted to field first. The South African team lost Ryan Rickelton without scoring, but a solid partnership of 113 runs between Quinton de Kock (106 runs off 89 balls, including eight fours and six sixes) and captain Temba Bavuma (48 runs off 67 balls, with five fours) stabilized their innings.
De Kock also formed a 54-run partnership with Matthew Breetzke (24 runs off 23 balls, hitting two sixes), but the team faltered, losing five wickets for 199 runs, with Prasidh Krishna taking 4 wickets for 66 runs.
Dewald Brevis (29 runs off 29 balls, with two fours and a six) and Marco Jansen (17 runs off 15 balls, with two fours) attempted to counterattack, but Kuldeep Yadav's impressive bowling (4 wickets for 41 runs) led to South Africa being bowled out for 270 runs in 47.5 overs, collapsing from a strong position of 234/5.
India successfully chased the target in 39.5 overs, with Rohit Sharma scoring 75 runs off 73 balls, forming a 155-run partnership with Yashasvi Jaiswal, who achieved his first ODI century with an unbeaten 116 runs off 121 balls, including 12 fours and three sixes. Jaiswal also shared another century partnership with Virat Kohli (65 runs off 45 balls, with six fours and three sixes), concluding the series on a high note.