Finally, India have tasted victory in this Freedom series, beating South Africa in the 2nd ODI – and what a one-day international it was – by 22 runs.
The crowd at the Holkar Cricket Stadium in Indore acted as the 12th man, and after only one man showed up with the bat for India, the bowlers answered the fans' call, putting on a brilliant performance to bowl South Africa for 225 in 43.4 overs.
India got to 247/9 in 50 overs, thanks to the brilliance of the man who had to face all the criticism after the first one-day international – MS Dhoni. The India skipper played a ridiculously-good 92 (86b, 7x4, 4x6), under tremendous pressure, to take India to that defendable total, when at one point, the home team looked nailed-on to finish with a score of well below 200.
South Africa bowled quite well, yet again, with Kagiso Rabada picking up Rohit Sharma early, before Shikhar Dhawan failed to capitalise on a decent start.
The innings turned on the run out of Virat Kohli, as Ajinkya Rahane, who came in at No.3 again, striking a nice-little-but-needs-to-be-a-lot-better 51, failed to respond to the vice-captain's call for a two.
It looked like curtains for India as Rahane and Suresh Raina fell in quick succession, but Dhoni held up one end, oozed calm and masterminded India's first innings.
The reply was brisk from Hashim Amla and Quinton De Kock to start with, but Axar Patel and Harbhajan Singh, the two spinners, picked up the two openers, and the pressure on the chase was on.
Faf Du Plessis and JP Duminy, though, settled the innings down, putting on 82 runs for the third wicket, to get South Africa back on course.
However, Axar came back with a crucial wicket, again, trapping Duminy (36, 46b, 3x4), before Du Plessis (51, 56, 6b) also fell to the left-armer to give India hope again.
As long as AB De Villiers was at the crease, though, South Africa were always going to win the match, despite David Miller's golden duck, but Mohit got that prized wicket, albeit with plenty of help from Virat Kohli, who took an outstanding catch.
From there, it was all on Farhaan Behardien, with just the bowlers at the other end, but a questionable decision put paid to those hopes, allowing India to run through the tail and tie the ODI series at 1-1.
Watch the presentation ceremony
Watch MS Dhoni's press conference below
