Indian dressing room divided into two groups, KL Rahul and Virat Kohli were sitting apart: Danish Kaneria

South Africa defeated India by 31 runs in the first ODI at Boland Park in Paarl on Wednesday despite late heroics from bowling all-rounder Shardul Thakur after a middle-order failure.

As the hosts drew first blood in the three-match series, former Pakistan spinner Danish Kaneria has made a controversial claim. He reckons that there were two groups in the Indian dressing room during the contest.

‘KL Rahul and Virat Kohli were sitting apart’: Danish Kaneria

“We saw during in the game that the Indian dressing room was divided into two groups. KL Rahul and Virat Kohli were sitting apart. Also, Kohli wasn’t in the same mood as he used to be when he was the captain. But he’s a team man and will come back stronger,”  said Danish Kaneria on his official YouTube channel.

KL Rahul, who is India’s limited-overs vice-captain, is currently the stand-in captain in the ongoing series as regular captain Rohit Sharma made himself unavailable due to a hamstring injury. Virat Kohli, on the other hand, had recently relinquished his Test captaincy. He was axed from ODI captaincy in December.

Coming back to the opening ODI,  skipper Temba Bavuma (110) and an unbeaten 129 from middle-order batter Rassie van der Dussen powered the hosts to a fighting total of 296/4 from their 50 overs with the duo adding 204 runs for the fourth-wicket stand after they were reduced to 68/3 in the 18th over.

In reply, senior batters Shikhar Dhawan (79) and Virat Kohli (51) added 92 runs for the second-wicket stand and once the duo was dismissed, the momentum tilted in the Proteas’ favor as the middle-order failed to rise up to the occasion. Rven though Shardul Thakur scored an unbeaten 50 towards the backend of the Indian innings, it was not enough as India fell short and were eventually restricted to 265/8. Van der Dussen was adjudged the Player of the Match for his quickfire knock of just 96 deliveries.

The Men In Blue would be hoping to make amends in the all-important second ODI at the same venue on Friday with the series on the line.  South Africa, on the other hand, would be eager to clinch the series.