Rob Walter brings many attributes to his position as South Africa’s head coach. An oversized ego is not among them, which helps when you’re lumped with explaining a record defeat. There was no better candidate to do so in the wake of India’s thundering 243-run win in a men’s World Cup match at Eden Gardens on Sunday.
The game was a top-of-table clash between teams who had lost only one of their combined 14 matches in the tournament. But there was just one side in it throughout as India piled up 326/5 with Virat Kohli scoring 101 not out to equal Sachin Tendulkar’s ODI world record of 49 centuries. Then Ravindra Jadeja took 5/33 as South Africa crashed to 83 all out in 27.1 overs to seal their heaviest ever loss by runs in the format. India made more runs in their powerplay – 91 – than the South Africans in their entire innings. How had things gone so badly wrong?
“Good question and an understatement altogether,” Walter said. “It was just a day where we were outskilled. They got off to a flyer and we pulled it back nicely. [India’s total] was too much on that deck, and then from a bowling point of view they put us under pressure from the word go. We couldn’t claw our way back in.”
South Africa’s XI bristled with Quinton de Kock, Rassie van der Dussen, Aiden Markram and Heinrich Klaasen, who scored eight centuries between them in their team’s first seven games. On Sunday none of them made more than Klaasen’s 13, and they made 28 runs combined.
Marco Jansen arrived at Eden Gardens as the World Cup’s most dangerous new-ball bowler, having taken 18 wickets in the powerplay. After his first four overs on Sunday he had been hit for 43 runs. He finished with a career-worst 1/94 at an economy rate of 9.72.
Walter didn’t think that chastening experience would damage Jansen’s confidence: “It’s a gift, isn’t it, being able to run out in front of thousands in a game like today and with so many learning opportunities out there? He struggled today but he’s got the skill-set to bounce back and be effective the next time around. What he has now is the value of having competed and felt what it’s like to be in a cauldron with so many people cheering against you. That experience is invaluable. You can’t get that anywhere else but here.”
As both teams had qualified for the semifinals before Sunday, not much was riding on the match. But South Africa could meet the Indians again in the knockouts. How did that make Walter feel?
“You have to believe that on the day, if you execute your skills, you’ve also got a chance. We didn’t get that right from the word go today.
“But you get taught new lessons every day and get surprised every day. So it wouldn’t surprise me if the tables were turned the next time around. The beauty of it is that there may well be another shot for us.”
At least, South Africa’s supporters will say to each other, their team didn’t beat themselves. Instead, they fell victim to vastly better opponents. Walter concurred: “The scoreboard will tell you everything you need to know. India were far superior, there are no two ways about that.
“Just like we’ve been far superior to other teams that, on paper, we have looked evenly matched with or are potentially superior to us.
“Once you get your nose in front in international cricket, I believe anyone can beat anyone. And today the Indian side got their nose in front. We weren’t able to get back into the game.”
That didn’t mean the South Africans would wear their defeat lightly: “If you walk into that changing room now you’re going to find a group of guys highly disappointed that we weren’t able to pay tribute to what was an awesome occasion and a great opportunity to showcase our skills. We’ve played so well throughout this World Cup and we would have wanted nothing more than for this to be a great contest.”
Walter’s team will have to regroup in time for a potentially challenging last league match against Afghanistan in Ahmedabad on Friday. “As far as the next four days go, for us it’s about doing what we’ve done the whole time, using the time available to us to get ready for the next fixture, and then it’s into a semi-final. Nothing changes.
“The guys have worked incredibly hard on their game and we have invested a huge amount of time into our preparation. Now it’s about recovering mentally and physically and being ready to compete like we have the whole tournament.”
But not, he didn’t have to say, like they failed to do on Sunday.
