India vs South Africa in 2019-20
A review of India vs South Africa, 2019-20
Debasish Datta
01-Dec-2021
Quinton de Kock has his temperature taken as part of Covid-19 prevention measures in India • Hindustan Times via Getty Images
One-day internationals (3): India 0, South Africa 0
India were raring to go when South Africa returned five months after playing the Test and Twenty20 legs of this tour (see Wisden 2020, page 939). In the meantime, Virat Kohli's side had been hammered in their Tests and one-day matches in New Zealand, though they had won the T20s 5-0. They were itching to get back to winning ways, and close the gap on England at the top of the ODI rankings, ahead of the IPL which was due to start at the end of March.
With Shikhar Dhawan, Hardik Pandya and Bhuvneshwar Kumar back after injury, they were set to unleash a full-strength side. But first rain - a seemingly constant companion to cricket in Dharamsala - washed out the opening match. And then, after initial thoughts that the remaining two games could be played behind closed doors as the coronavirus spread, it was decided to call them off, with the Indian board suggesting the series could be rescheduled (the IPL was later postponed until September).
It was an abrupt end to Quinton de Kock's first overseas assignment as South Africa's permanent white-ball captain.