'I thought the Indian bowlers, quite a formidable bowling attack, asked a lot of good questions. Ultimately, as a batting unit, we're not able to answer the questions'
At a loss to explain South Africa's capitulation in the series-opener, their batting coach Ashwell Prince said the visitors simply failed to answer the questions posed by India's "formidable" bowlers while being dismissed for their lowest T20I total of 74 Cuttack.
Chasing 176, South Africa folded in 12.3 overs in a 101-run defeat in the opening match of the five-match series that marked the beginning of the two sides' build-up towards the global showpiece in India and Sri Lanka from February 7.
"Obviously after a batting performance as such, that is one department that we will have to improve on quickly," Prince said at the post-match media interaction at the Barabati Stadium on Tuesday.
"I thought the Indian bowlers, quite a formidable bowling attack, asked a lot of good questions. Ultimately, as a batting unit, we're not able to answer the questions. Tonight we weren't up to the task."
The two-paced wicket with the odd one rearing up also troubled the South African batters as Indian bowlers exploited the conditions beautifully.
Prince said the bounce should not be an excuse as they are used to playing on lively wickets back home.
"I think any score that you keep to under 180 in T20 cricket is a chaseable score absolutely. There was a bit of bounce, it seemed like, but being South Africans, we should be accustomed to bounce."
"As I said, the Indian bowlers asked a lot of good questions. Ultimately, we weren't able to answer," he said blaming the batting unit.
The decision to bowl first after winning the toss seemed to have backfired but Prince said they did well to keep India's total in check.
"I thought the pitch was good. Not every pitch that you bat on is supposed to be a 220 pitch," he said.
India also had their share of struggles and kept losing wickets before Pandya's late heroics lifted them to 175/6.
"They had to work hard for the first part of the innings. Then, obviously Hardik came in and played a brilliant knock to give them a competitive score."
"I don't think in any cricket match you can decide at the halfway stage if you have a winning score. But what you can do is put up a competitive score and obviously it turned out to be enough."
All praise for Pandya's comeback fifty, Prince said the all-rounder is a calm six-hitter and his clarity in execution stood out once again.
"Hardik obviously played an outstanding innings. I think we have to give him a lot of credit. He has come back from an injury."
"He has come back looking sharp. He picked the right moments to attack with a spin on initially. There wasn't a lot of spin on offer so he got a couple of early sixes away," Prince acknowledged.
"Against the seamers towards the end, he put the pressure on to them. He struck the ball as cleanly as ever so a lot of credit has to go to him."
Clarity in shot-execution was the key to Hardik's success, felt Prince.
"He is a six-hitter but he is also calm. I think identifying the right balls to attack comes with a lot of experience. As soon as the ball was in areas that he is very strong at, he put a good swing on it, no half measures."
"I think most of the time when Hardik hits it, he is not tentative. There is clarity in his thinking and there is clarity in his execution. It was an outstanding innings."