Another opportunity missed as 'learning' continues for India

Rishabh Pant summed up India's series loss in simplistic terms: could've bowled a little better and could've batted a little better.

On a slow and turning track that is more Indian than South African, they were outplayed and schooled in the art of building a total, as much as spin bowling.

It was yet an opportunity missed for India in the second ODI, a contest in which they again had their moments, even if fewer than the first game. They struggled with two primary concerns - inability of the middle-order to stitch partnerships and of the bowlers to take wickets.

When Virat Kohli was dismissed for a fifth-ball duck, offering a simple catch to Temba Bavuma at cover, India had transferred the momentum to the opposition, with two of their seniormost batters - Kohli and Shikhar Dhawan - back in the pavilion.

Having the two half-centurions of the previous match dismissed early wasn't the worst thing to happen for a team that has repeatedly emphasised the idea of 'experiment over results' in this series. It gave the middle-order, and opener KL Rahul, ample time to justify their worth and put to rest the team's long-ailing middle order concern.

"The only plan was to have a long partnership and take the game as deep as possible," Pant said of his plan with Rahul.

And yet, off the first ball, he stepped out against Keshav Maharaj to take a single. "The plan was to unsettle the bowler by stepping out because on a slow wicket it's easier to play a spinner if you step out. So I was looking to do that," he said, rationalising the decision.

It could've all gone wrong. He was tricked by the slow left-arm spinner with a delivery that turned in viciously after hitting the rough and caught the outside edge of his bat, only to fall a few inches in front of the slip fielder.

He survived then and he survived a couple of times a few minutes later in poor calls while running. Once he settled, he cashed in, taking apart Tabraiz Shamsi in specific. He registered his highest ODI score, and in company of Rahul, added a 115-run stand which helped India seize back the momentum.

Only eight balls after Rahul was dismissed in the 32nd over, Pant attempted another slog sweep off Shamsi, only to be caught at long on. It was a setup that he fell for - after an entertaining 71-ball 85.

A settled Pant could've unleashed a death overs carnage, but he left the field in a state that he had joined in, with the initiative seized away and two new batsmen at the crease. The high-risk daredevilry spared no regard for the match situation. It only respected his own staple batting philosophy - live by the sword, die by it.

The Iyers - Shreyas and Venkatesh failed to cash in even but India put in an improved performance in the latter overs, courtesy Shardul Thakur, and posted a competitive 287 for 6.

A total so high had never been chased down at Paarl earlier. Yet South Africa demonstrated a successful batting tempelate that the Indians were longing for. Much like Temba Bavuma and Rassie van der Dussen had upset India's rhythm in the previous game, Quinton de Kock and Jaaneman Malan partnered to do so on Friday.

They squeezed the advantage that India had with their fairly big total on a pitch that got slower than it was during India's chase two days ago. The wily and experienced spin duo of R Ashwin and Yuzvendra Chahal could do little to upset that momentum, unlike their South African counterparts in the middle overs, even as they created a few wicket-taking opportunities.

Pant admitted that the inability to create pressure in the middle overs has cost them the series but defended the bowlers with a host of excuses, some of which could be factually debatable.

"They (Maharaj and Shamsi) were a lot more consistent with their lines and lengths. They are also used to playing in such conditions. We are playing one day cricket after a long time. There are a lot of factors that we can talk about. But as a team, we are always looking to improve ourselves. The game tempo makes a difference since we are coming out of Test matches, maybe that could've made a difference."

With the long-term narrative disclosed, short-term advances are going to be on a wait-and-watch basis. Pant also maintains a stand similar to Rahul and Dhawan: "Obviously we are disappointed to lose the series but we are looking to learn from our mistakes."