Date: December 9, 2013
Location: Team Hotel, Durban, South Africa
Event: Post-Match Rest Day
The crushing reality of international cricket was that momentum could vanish in the blink of an eye.
Just days earlier, the Indian team had suffered a brutal defeat against South Africa in the first ODI at the Wanderers, despite a gritty, counter-attacking 82 from Siddanth Deva. But yesterday, at Kingsmead in Durban, the Indian team had bounced back brilliantly. Despite the Proteas' pace attack tearing through the Indian top order early on, Deva had staged a magnificent rescue to secure a hard-fought victory, leveling the three-match series 1-1.
But a bruised scorecard for the top order rarely kept the Indian dressing room quiet for long.
It was mid-afternoon. Inside the sprawling, sunlit private dining hall reserved for the Indian squad at the team hotel, the atmosphere was a comfortable, chaotic hum of relaxed athletes. After a grueling morning recovery session in the pool, the players were ravenous.
They were scattered around circular dining tables, mostly grouped in fives. At a table near the massive glass windows overlooking the Durban coastline, MS Dhoni sat with Rohit Sharma, Suresh Raina, R Ashwin, and Amit Mishra, quietly discussing the merits of the hotel's seafood buffet.
Two tables over, the dynamic was significantly louder.
Virat Kohli, Shikhar Dhawan, Ravindra Jadeja, and Ishant Sharma were sprawled comfortably in their chairs, surrounded by half-empty plates of grilled chicken, pasta, and salads.
An empty chair sat between Virat and Jadeja, draped with a blue Team India training jacket. Siddanth Deva had been sitting there ten minutes ago before stepping out into the hallway to take a personal phone call.
"I'm telling you, there was absolutely no edge," Virat was currently arguing, aggressively pointing a fork at Jadeja. "Morkel just appealed loudly, and the umpire bought it. My bat clipped my pad."
"Cheeku, the nick was so loud they heard it back in Johannesburg," Jadeja retorted seamlessly, tearing off a piece of garlic bread. "Just accept that the ball bounced extra and caught your glove."
"Edge, glove, pad, whatever it was, you were back in the pavilion before I even got my pads fully strapped on," Shikhar Dhawan chuckled, twirling his mustache.
"You can't say anything, Shikhar!" Virat shot back instantly, pointing the fork at his fellow opener. "Steyn got you a golden duck! At least I made it to four!"
"Boys, boys, calm down," Ishant Sharma sighed, stretching his remarkably long legs out under the table. "You both scored zero. A duck is a duck. There's no hierarchy of ducks."
Before Virat could verbally dismantle his tall fast bowler, the heavy wooden double doors leading into the kitchen swung open.
Siddanth Deva walked out. But he wasn't empty-handed.
Instead of a standard buffet plate, the Vice-Captain of India was carrying two large, pristine white porcelain plates, both covered with gleaming silver cloches. He walked across the dining room with a perfectly straight face, balancing the plates effortlessly.
The conversation at the table completely died. Four pairs of eyes tracked him as he approached.
"What is that?" Ishant asked, his curiosity immediately piqued, sitting up in his chair. "Did you order room service to the dining hall? Why are you bringing dishes from the kitchen?"
"It's not just a dish, Ishu," Siddanth replied smoothly, his deep voice carrying a tone of absolute, mock-serious reverence. "It is a highly specialized culinary masterpiece."
"Specialized?" Jadeja raised an eyebrow, leaning forward.
"Exactly," Siddanth nodded, stopping at the table. "It is a special dish, crafted exclusively for special players. And of course, a dish of this caliber requires a special server to deliver it properly."
Ishant's eyes lit up. As a fast bowler who burned thousands of calories a day, he was always ready to eat. He reached a long arm across the table toward the silver cloches. "Let me taste it, Sid."
"Back off, fast bowler," Siddanth scolded lightly, a mischievous glint in his dark eyes. "I said this is for special players only. Elite top-order royalty."
With deliberate, theatrical flair, Siddanth stepped between Virat and Shikhar. He placed one silver-covered plate directly in front of the Delhi batsman, and the other directly in front of the flamboyant opener.
Virat frowned, looking at the silver dome, highly suspicious of Deva sudden transition into fine dining hospitality. "Sid, what is this?"
"Bon appétit," Siddanth smiled.
In perfect unison, Siddanth lifted both silver cloches.
Resting in the center of the pristine white plates were beautifully roasted, incredibly fragrant, dark-glazed cuts of meat, garnished elegantly with roasted root vegetables and a vibrant orange citrus reduction. The smell was absolutely divine.
"Wow," Shikhar murmured, genuinely impressed by the presentation. He looked up at Siddanth. "This looks amazing, Siddu. What is it?"
"It's a classic French preparation," Siddanth explained, his face a mask of absolute, unyielding sincerity. "Roasted Duck à l'Orange."
The table went completely, utterly silent for exactly three seconds.
Virat Kohli stopped breathing. He stared at the plate, and then slowly raised his eyes to look at Siddanth.
Shikhar Dhawan blinked, the culinary explanation slowly clicking into place with his cricketing performance from the previous day.
Siddanth casually wiped his hands on a napkin. "I just thought it was better for you two to have a duck here at the hotel, before you go out and get another one in the match tomorrow."
Ravindra Jadeja absolutely lost it.
The Saurashtra all-rounder burst into a loud, booming, hysterical fit of laughter, clutching his stomach and nearly falling out of his chair.
Ishant Sharma, who had just taken a sip of water, violently snorted, spraying water over his own plate as he broke into a wheezing, uncontrollable laugh, his massive shoulders shaking.
The laughter was contagious. Rohit Sharma, sitting two tables away, had heard the entire exchange. He threw his head back and laughed loudly, clapping his hands. Even MS Dhoni was grinning broadly from across the room.
The only two people in the room not laughing were Virat Kohli and Shikhar Dhawan.
Their faces had turned completely, darkly serious.
Virat picked up his silver fork. He gripped it like a weapon, pointing it directly at Siddanth's chest.
"I will actually stab you with this fork, Sid," Virat threatened, his voice dropping into a deadly, quiet register that entirely failed to hide his own embarrassment. "I will commit a crime in this hotel right now."
"Very funny, Sid," Shikhar muttered, aggressively twirling his mustache in an attempt to look intimidating, but failing miserably as his lips twitched with a reluctant smile. "Very, very funny. You think you're a comedian now?"
"Just looking out for the top order's nutritional needs, Gabbar," Siddanth laughed, pulling his chair out and finally sitting down at the table. He grabbed a piece of bread from a communal basket, looking incredibly pleased with himself.
"You're a menace," Virat grumbled, finally lowering the fork. He looked down at the perfectly roasted meat in front of him. Despite his annoyance, the aroma was undeniable. He cut a small piece with his knife and fork, dipped it in the orange glaze, and took a bite.
Virat paused, chewing slowly. His eyes widened slightly.
"Okay," Virat admitted begrudgingly, pointing his knife at the plate. "I hate you for the joke, but this is actually amazing. The glaze is perfect."
Shikhar took a bite of his own and nodded in immediate agreement. "It really is. Where did you get this? The buffet is just serving pasta and grilled fish."
"I tipped the head chef in the kitchen to make it specifically for you guys while I was on the phone in the hallway," Siddanth revealed, taking a bite of his own food.
"See?" Jadeja chimed in, wiping a tear of mirth from his eye, his chaotic energy fully restored. "It's the perfect meal for you guys. Of course it tastes great today, you already got a really good taste of it yesterday at Kingsmead!"
Ishant let out another booming laugh, slapping the table.
"Jaddu, I swear to God, I will make you run laps around the stadium tomorrow," Virat threatened, though he was now actively enjoying the roasted duck.
"You can't make me run laps, you're not the captain," Jadeja shot back seamlessly.
"I'll ask Mahi bhai to make you run laps!"
"Boys, eat your food," Siddanth chuckled, stepping in to moderate the bickering. "We have a series decider tomorrow. Centurion is going to be fast. We need the calories."
The table settled back into a comfortable, loud, and incredibly warm camaraderie. The brutal duck joke had served its exact, intended purpose. The heavy, lingering tension of their dual failures in the previous match had been completely shattered, replaced by laughter and good food.
---
The Centurion Decider
Date: December 11, 2013
Location: SuperSport Park, Centurion, South Africa
Event: 3rd ODI, India vs. South Africa (Series Decider)
The weather in the Gauteng province was distinctly uncooperative.
Heavy, ominous grey clouds hung low over SuperSport Park in Centurion, completely blocking out the South African sun. The floodlights had been turned on hours before the match was even scheduled to begin, casting a bright, artificial glare over the lush green outfield. The threat of a thunderstorm was palpable, the air thick with humidity.
This was the series decider. With the series tied at 1-1, both teams were desperate to claim the trophy before transitioning into the Test matches.
Up in the broadcasting box, the commentary team was bundled up in warm jackets, looking down at the pitch.
"A very good morning to you all from Centurion," Harsha Bhogle's voice echoed across the broadcast. "We have a massive series decider on our hands today, folks. India and South Africa locked at one-all. However, the weather gods might have a significant say in the proceedings today. The forecast is grim. Let me bring in Nasser Hussain and Shaun Pollock. Shaun, looking at this pitch under these heavy clouds, what are your thoughts?"
"It is a quintessential Centurion wicket, Harsha," former South African captain Shaun Pollock analyzed, looking at the 22 yards. "It is hard, it is fast, and it has a very even covering of live grass. With these overcast conditions, the ball is going to swing laterally for a long time. For the fast bowlers, this is an absolute paradise. For the batsmen, it is going to be an intense examination of technique."
"The toss is absolutely vital," Nasser Hussain added firmly. "Neither captain will want to bat first in these conditions. The ball will dart around off the seam. Whichever team wins the toss will bowl first, hoping to skittle the opposition early and pray the rain holds off long enough to force a result."
Down on the pitch, Ravi Shastri stood with the two captains: MS Dhoni and AB de Villiers. Both men were wearing their heavy team sweaters against the chill.
"Welcome to the toss for the series decider," Shastri's voice boomed over the stadium speakers. "MS Dhoni has the coin. AB de Villiers to call."
Dhoni flipped the coin high into the grey sky.
"Tails," de Villiers called out.
The coin landed on the hard turf. The match referee peered down. "It is heads. India wins the toss."
"MS, you've won a very crucial toss here at Centurion. What is the decision?" Shastri asked.
"We are going to bowl first, Ravi," Dhoni stated with absolute clarity. "There is a lot of moisture in the air, and the pitch has been under covers all night. Our fast bowlers will get a lot of assistance early on. Also, looking at those clouds, we have to keep the DLS method in mind. Chasing is the sensible option."
"A very expected decision. Any changes to your playing eleven for the decider?"
"No, we are going with the same side," Dhoni confirmed, backing his players. "Shikhar, Rohit, Virat, Siddanth, myself, Suresh, Jadeja, Ashwin, Bhuvi, Ishant, and Shami."
"Thanks, MS. AB, batting first in tough conditions. How do you approach this?"
"We just have to apply ourselves, Ravi," de Villiers smiled calmly. "We knew we might have to bat first. Hashim and Quinton have been in great form at the top. We just need to see off the new balls, build a platform, and post a competitive total. We have a world-class bowling attack to defend whatever we put on the board."
The umpires walked out holding the two new white Kookaburra balls, followed by the Indian fielding unit.
Quinton de Kock, the young, explosive South African wicket-keeper batsman, and Hashim Amla, the epitome of classical elegance, walked out to open the innings.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar took the first new ball.
"Here we go," Shaun Pollock announced. "Bhuvneshwar Kumar against Quinton de Kock. Kumar relies on swing; de Kock relies on timing and aggression. A fascinating matchup."
Bhuvneshwar steamed in, bowling a beautiful outswinger that beat de Kock's outside edge on the very first delivery. However, the young South African opener was entirely unfazed. In Bhuvneshwar's second over, de Kock stepped out of his crease, negating the swing entirely, and punched the ball effortlessly through the covers for the first boundary of the match.
Ishant Sharma operated from the other end. Utilizing his massive height, Ishant hit the deck hard, trying to extract the steep Centurion bounce. But Hashim Amla was a master of playing off the back foot. Amla elegantly cut and pulled Ishant, rotating the strike seamlessly.
The South African openers survived the treacherous first hour with remarkable composure. De Kock, in particular, looked incredibly dangerous. He didn't let the Indian bowlers settle, constantly stepping down the track to disrupt their lengths.
By the 12th over, South Africa had cruised to 65 for no loss.
MS Dhoni, recognizing that the opening bowlers were tiring and the ball was losing its initial swing, signaled for a change.
"Siddanth Deva comes into the attack as the first change," Harsha Bhogle noted. "India desperately needs a breakthrough here. De Kock is looking completely settled and Amla is just knocking the ball around. Deva has the raw pace to break this partnership."
Siddanth marked his run-up. He assessed the pitch and the batsmen. Hashim Amla was on strike. Amla's technique involved a significant trigger movement across his stumps, allowing him to easily access the leg side.
Siddanth ran in, his boots pounding against the turf. He didn't aim for the stumps. He bowled a heavy, 149 kmph delivery on a perfect length, deliberately pushing it wide outside the off-stump.
Amla, instinctively stepping across, had to reach for the ball to execute his trademark square cut. The extra pace and bounce generated by Siddanth meant the ball hurried onto the bat faster than Amla anticipated.
The ball took a thick outside edge, flying fast and high toward the slip cordon.
Virat Kohli, stationed at first slip, instinctively threw his hands up and took a sharp, reflexive catch right in front of his face.
"CAUGHT! DEVA STRIKES IN HIS FIRST OVER!" Sourav Ganguly roared on the broadcast. "What a brilliant piece of bowling! He forces Amla to play away from his body with sheer pace and bounce, and Kohli takes a very sharp catch! The opening stand is finally broken!"
Hashim Amla: c Kohli b Deva 24 (35)
Siddanth didn't celebrate wildly. He offered a simple high-five to Kohli and Dhoni, his focus instantly shifting to the next batsman.
AB de Villiers walked out to the middle. The stadium buzzed with electricity. It was the ultimate modern rivalry: Siddanth Deva against the South African captain.
Siddanth stood at the top of his mark. He knew de Villiers possessed a 360-degree game, capable of destroying any bowler on his day.
Siddanth steamed in. He didn't bowl an outswinger. He delivered a searing, 146 kmph inswinger aimed directly at the pads. De Villiers, picking the line incredibly early, elegantly flicked it through mid-wicket for a comfortable double.
For the next ten minutes, the two masters engaged in a high-stakes tactical chess match. Siddanth peppered de Villiers with short balls, forcing him onto the back foot, before sneaking in wide yorkers. De Villiers responded with flawless defensive technique, occasionally finding the gap for a single.
In the 18th over, Siddanth returned for his third over. He noticed de Villiers was beginning to step out of his crease, trying to smother the swing and hit over the infield.
Siddanth anticipated the movement perfectly. As he hit his delivery stride, he rolled his wrist, delivering a devastating 145 kmph swinging yorker aimed straight at the base of the middle stump.
De Villiers, caught half a step down the pitch, desperately tried to jam his bat down. He managed to get a sliver of wood on it, but the ball crushed into his front toe before hitting the bat.
"HOWZAT?!" Siddanth screamed, a massive appeal echoing around Centurion.
The umpire took his time before slowly raising his finger.
Because there was no DRS available in this bilateral series, de Villiers had no choice but to accept the decision, despite lingering at the crease for a second in disappointment. The television replays later confirmed what Siddanth already knew: the ball had struck the toe pad a fraction of a millisecond before the bat came down, and it was crashing directly into the middle stump.
"OUT! Siddanth Deva gets the South African captain!" Harsha Bhogle cheered. "A phenomenal, searing yorker! AB de Villiers is completely beaten by the pace and the late swing! India are fighting back brilliantly in these middle overs!"
AB de Villiers: lbw b Deva 15 (20)
The score was 95 for 2. The Indian team was buzzing with renewed energy.
But at the other end, Quinton de Kock remained an immovable object. The young left-hander was playing an innings of absolute, unadulterated class. He completely ignored the fall of wickets around him, treating the Indian spinners, R Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja, with remarkable disdain.
He swept Ashwin forcefully for boundaries and stepped out to hit Jadeja straight down the ground.
When JP Duminy joined him at the crease, the pair built a massive, rapid partnership. De Kock brought up a spectacular, flawless century in the 35th over, raising his bat to a standing ovation from the home crowd.
Instead of looking frustrated, Siddanth and MS Dhoni actively applauded the milestone. Siddanth walked past the crease, offered a quick, genuine smile, and said, "Well played, Quinny," acknowledging the sheer quality of the innings from his young Sunrisers Hyderabad teammate on a tough pitch.
"What an incredible innings from the youngster," Shaun Pollock praised. "He has batted with absolute maturity today. He saw off the new ball, navigated Siddanth Deva's hostile spell, and has absolutely dominated the spinners."
The score ballooned past 200. Duminy played a perfect supporting role, aggressively rotating the strike.
MS Dhoni, realizing the game was slipping away in the death overs, brought Siddanth back into the attack to break the partnership.
Siddanth ran in for the 42nd over. He bowled a brilliantly disguised off-cutter to Duminy. The left-hander, attempting to heave it over long-on, was completely deceived by the lack of pace. The ball took the outer half of the bat and sliced high into the air toward deep cover.
Suresh Raina settled underneath it and took a safe catch.
"Got him! Deva strikes again!" Bishop announced. "He breaks the partnership, but Duminy has done his job. A very handy 45. Deva picks up his third wicket of the innings."
JP Duminy: c Raina b Deva 45 (35)
Despite the wicket, the South African lower order continued to swing hard. David Miller came in and hit a quickfire 20, pushing the score ever higher. Quinton de Kock was finally dismissed in the 47th over by Ishant Sharma, caught in the deep for a breathtaking 135.
Quinton de Kock: c Kohli b Ishant 135 (121)
Mohammed Shami was tasked with bowling the final over of the innings. He delivered a brilliant spell under extreme pressure. He nailed three consecutive, pinpoint yorkers against the South African tail-enders with a wet, heavy ball, conceding only seven runs.
As they walked off the pitch at the innings break, Siddanth tapped the fast bowler heavily on the shoulder.
"Brilliant execution at the death, Shami," Siddanth praised. "Kept them under 310."
Despite the late fightback, South Africa had finished their innings with a massive, highly intimidating total on the board.
SOUTH AFRICA: 301/8 (50 Overs)
"A phenomenal batting display by South Africa, anchored by a masterful century from Quinton de Kock," Harsha Bhogle summarized at the innings break. "301 for 8 is a massive score in these conditions. Siddanth Deva was the standout bowler for India, picking up 3 for 42 in his ten overs and removing Amla, de Villiers, and Duminy. But chasing 302 under these heavy clouds is going to require a monumental effort from the Indian batting lineup."
Inside the Indian dressing room, the atmosphere was focused and intense.
Shikhar Dhawan and Rohit Sharma were fully padded up, sitting near the door, going over their strategies against the formidable pace of Dale Steyn and Morne Morkel.
"We need a solid start," Dhoni was telling them, holding a cup of tea. "Don't go searching for the ball. Let it come to you. If we are 40 for no loss after ten overs, we take it. We build from there."
Siddanth sat by his locker, wiping sweat from his face with a towel after his ten-over spell. He drank a bottle of water, quietly visualizing the target and figuring out which bowlers to target.
"Ten minutes to take the field, boys," Coach Duncan Fletcher announced, checking his watch.
Suddenly, a loud, heavy, drumming sound echoed against the roof of the stadium.
The players looked up. Within seconds, the drumming turned into a deafening roar.
The heavens above Centurion had officially opened. A massive, torrential downpour began to lash the stadium. The rain was so thick and heavy that visibility across the outfield dropped to mere meters.
"Well, that complicates things," Virat Kohli muttered, looking out the glass window of the dressing room as the ground staff frantically rushed out with the massive white tarpaulins to cover the pitch and the square.
For the next hour, the rain fell relentlessly. Lightning cracked across the sky, followed by deep, booming thunder.
To pass the time, Virat Kohli, Shikhar Dhawan, and Ravindra Jadeja were intensely hunched over a highly competitive game of Uno in the middle of the dressing room. Ishant Sharma was loudly complaining that Jadeja was hiding Draw Four cards up his sleeve, while MS Dhoni sat nearby, watching the chaos with a quiet, amused smile.
"We did the right thing bowling first," Dhoni stated calmly, taking a sip of his tea, bringing a sense of grounded perspective to the delay. "If we had batted and scored 150 by now, DLS would have punished us heavily in a reduced game."
Two hours passed. The rain slowed to a steady drizzle, but the damage to the outfield was severe. Massive puddles of standing water had formed near the boundary ropes.
At 6:00 PM, the umpires, holding large black umbrellas, walked out to inspect the ground alongside the head groundsman. They walked around the soggy outfield, shaking their heads.
Ten minutes later, Duncan Fletcher walked into the Indian dressing room.
"That's it, boys. Pack it up," Fletcher announced, looking at his clipboard. "The umpires have officially called it off. The outfield is completely waterlogged, and the radar shows more rain coming in the next hour. The match is abandoned."
A collective, disappointed sigh went around the room.
"So the series ends in a 1-1 tie," Rohit Sharma noted, unstrapping his batting pads.
"We share the trophy," Dhoni confirmed, standing up. "It's a shame we couldn't get a result today, but we can't control the weather. Go shake hands, boys. We have a Test series to prepare for."
The Indian team walked out of the dressing room and headed toward the South African dressing room to exchange handshakes and pleasantries.
Despite the fierce, aggressive battle on the pitch, the atmosphere in the hallways was entirely cordial. Siddanth shook hands with AB de Villiers and congratulated Quinton de Kock once more.
As he moved down the line, Dale Steyn clapped him heavily on the shoulder.
"You guys got lucky the rain saved you from facing my new ball today, Sid," the fearsome fast bowler joked, a fierce, competitive glint in his eye.
Siddanth instantly fired back with a smooth smirk, "The rain saved your economy rate from my bat, Dale."
It was the perfect, friendly setup for their impending clash in the Test series.
A makeshift presentation ceremony was held indoors, in one of the media rooms.
MS Dhoni and AB de Villiers stood together, holding the ODI series trophy jointly, smiling for the cameras.
As the players filtered out of the media room to board their respective team buses, Siddanth walked alongside his teammate, Virat Kohli.
"It feels incredibly anti-climactic," Virat grumbled, pulling his jacket tighter against the cold air in the hallway. "I was ready to chase that down."
Siddanth let out a soft laugh, clapping his teammate on the shoulder.
"We fought hard, Cheeku," Siddanth reasoned calmly. "We won at the Duban, they won in Wanderers, and today was washed out. It's a fair result for the white-ball series. Now we put the colored clothes away."
Siddanth looked ahead, his eyes glinting with a sharp, cold focus.
"The real war starts next week in Johannesburg," Siddanth said, his voice dropping into the quiet, unyielding register of the Vice-Captain. "Two Test matches. White flannels. Dale Steyn with a red ball. That is where we break them."
Virat smiled, a fierce, competitive fire returning to his eyes. "I can't wait."
The white-ball leg of the tour was officially over. The rain had forced a stalemate, but the true test of character, endurance, and technique was looming on the horizon. The Indian Cricket Team boarded the bus, their minds already shifting to the grueling five-day battles ahead.
[SIDDANTH DEVA MATCH STATS: Bowling (1st Innings): 3 for 42 (10 overs) | Batting: DNB (Match Abandoned)]