India vs South Africa | Andile Phehlukwayo claims SA have good momentum from last ODI

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Andile Phehlukwayo believes that South Africa got a much-needed confidence boost from the Johannesburg game where they beat India by five wickets via DLS method. Talking about their preparation for next ODI, the pacer said that the hosts were now better prepared to play the Indian wrist-spin attack.

The South African team faced three straight loss in the six-match ODI series against India but the hosts managed to come back in the fourth game with a five wicket win. After winning the Pink ODI in Johannesburg, Phehlukwayo said that the team wants to carry forward the momentum in the next ODI match on February 13.

“We have a good momentum now from the last game we played. We have come really far that victory because the guys have been working really hard in the nets and we have been very specific about our training (against spin),” said Phehlukwayo as quoted by CricketNext.

“(In the last game) We were looking to be positive now. We got into good positions and tried to pick the ball, watch the ball and played really straight.”

Apart from the boost after the win in the last game, the Proteas will also take confidence in the fact that India have never won an ODI game in Port Elizabeth’s conditions. Since 1992, India have played four ODI games in Port Elizabeth but have failed to win any of the games and faced a 48-run loss the last time that the two sides faced off at the venue back in January 2011. 

"We have been doing good analysis and have good game plans. Obviously, the conditions were different (at Wanderers). So it’s a game plan that we have had in our change room, to be really positive, look to score and get into good positions," the pacer added.

“We train really specifically. Guys know their individual game plans and what they need to do. I think the most important thing when you are batting is to watch the ball and try executing our game plan.”

In the first three 50-overs games of the series, it was the wrist-spin duo of Yuzvendra Chahal and Kuldeep Yadav who played a crucial role in Team India’s win. The Indian pair managed to take a combined of 21 South African wickets but in the fourth ODI, they failed to repeat that performance. At Wanderers, Phehlukwayo faced five balls to score 23 runs including three maximums and one boundary.

“You don't want to worry too much about what they do but what you do as a team. Once again it's a new game. So you just want to take the new stuff and back yourself. When I say a change in game plan, I am also being specific about mentally. We know about the wicket, its home conditions and we know how to go about it," the 21-year-old opined.

The Indian skipper Virat Kohli, who is enjoying the purple patch, is the leading run-scorer with 393 runs in the ongoing ODI series so far following by Shikhar Dhawan who scored 271 runs in four games. The South African pacer believed that if they managed to get them out early then it will be interesting to see how Indian middle-order will work.

“If you take game by game, obviously they've been batting really well. It would be really nice to expose their middle order and hopefully see what they can do. At the same time, we don't want to really look too forward.

“The Proteas’ setup is really positive. We've got a good fighting spirit a good culture. It's never done and out. We're always looking to fight back. We really are encouraging around the change room. And as I said, we weren't far away from a victory,” he added.

The right-arm pacer, who had played 23 ODIs for South Africa claiming 26 wickets, managed only three wickets in three games in which he featured. He disclosed his strategy while bowling to eastablished players like former Indian skipper MS Dhoni and also stated that he followed Lance Klusener and Shaun Pollock to learn how to play spin.

"When bowling to someone like MS Dhoni, I was just personally trying to hit top of off-stump. Hit a hard length as hard as I can. Try to get a few dot balls.

“I look up to the greats, Lance Klusener and also Shaun Pollock, who played spin very well. My hopes and dreams are to contribute and try to win a few games. Be positive, contribute on and off the field and be a leader in my own space,” the left-hand batsman answered.

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