India's assistant coach, Ryan ten Doeschate, openly acknowledged on Friday that the team is approaching the crucial third and final One-Day International against South Africa with a feeling of desperation. This sentiment follows a disheartening Test series loss and an inconsistent start to the ODI leg of the tour.
Pressure Mounts After Test Setback
The Indian team was comprehensively defeated 2-0 in the preceding Test series. The ongoing ODI contest is now perfectly balanced at 1-1, setting the stage for a high-stakes showdown in Visakhapatnam. Speaking on the eve of the decisive match, ten Doeschate emphasized that the players are acutely aware of the weight of responsibility they shoulder, even though the limited-overs squad comprises different personnel from the Test side.
KL Rahul's men began the series positively with a 17-run victory in Ranchi. However, South Africa bounced back strongly, securing a four-wicket win in Raipur to level the series. "When results start going against you and performances fall below our standards, there is naturally a bit of desperation from a series perspective," ten Doeschate confessed.
Dew Factor and High-Scoring Challenges in Vizag
The former Netherlands all-rounder highlighted that dew has played a major role in the outcomes of the first two ODIs and is expected to be a significant factor again on Saturday. He noted that while the Indian bowlers have shown improvement when defending totals, adapting to the wet conditions remains paramount for success.
"The dew is huge here. It's not something we can control, but it's on us to adapt," he stated. "This is a high-scoring ground with small boundaries, and the real challenge is managing the difference between batting first and chasing." When asked if the 1:30 PM start time could lessen the dew's impact, ten Doeschate agreed it might help but pointed out that broadcast schedules offer little flexibility for change.
Revising Targets and Finding Solutions
Ten Doeschate revealed that the team has already adjusted its mindset regarding par scores during training sessions, especially considering how quickly the game changes once the ball gets wet. "In the first game, we revised our thinking from 320 to around 350. Even with the ball coming on nicely, getting to that score took a big effort," he explained.
He stressed the team's ongoing discussions about maximizing their total, regardless of the conditions. "You always want more runs. We have spoken a lot about how to maximise totals, even when conditions don't make it easy. The responsibility is to find solutions," the assistant coach added, underscoring the problem-solving approach the team is adopting.
Despite the pressure, ten Doeschate expressed confidence in the group's ability to handle crunch situations. "But the group is used to operating under pressure. It never really leaves this team. A bilateral decider brings its own pressure and we try to focus on our processes," he concluded, setting the stage for an intense series finale in Vizag.
