Grappling with a cold bug and struggling to stay afloat in the three-match series,
a depleted India face a do-or-die battle when they meet South Africa
in the crucial second cricket one-dayer here tomorrow.
With a flu virus reducing the dressing room virtually to a medical ward, India
struggled to find 11 fit men in the first one dayer and the think-tank was forced
to field two spinners -- Ramesh Powar and Piyush Chawla -- while
regular stumper and vice captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni, a vital cog in the
batting order, missed action.
The Indian camp, however, is hoping that Dhoni would play tomorrow
and the side is expecting the swashbuckler to contribute both in front and behind
the stumps to help the side keep the series alive.
India did put up a decent 242 for eight in the first one dayer,
with Sachin Tendulkar -- out on 99 -- and Rahul Dravid (74) contributing
handsomely but Jacques Kallis' broad bat thwarted them again.
The South African captain, who took two wickets, held a couple
of catches and then returned to the ground to produce a match-winning, unbeaten
91-run knock, took the wind out of India's sail and grab the Man of the Match
award.
Kallis' sterling innings found an admirer in his Indian counterpart
and Dravid felt the South African made all the difference in the match.
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