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Preview: India will aim to stay alive in the five-match One-Day International (ODI) series when they take on South Africa in the fourth match at the M.A. Chidambaram Stadium. Trailing 1-2, India’s batting has been a cause for concern as they lost the first and third matches. In the second match in Indore, where they won, a defiant skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s unbeaten 92 saved them from the danger of being bowled out inside 200. [caption id=“attachment_2478546” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  File picture of MS Dhoni. AFP[/caption] Dhoni may also face a test of a good batting combination. The debate has not only been about his batting position but also about his deputy, Virat Kohli’s. In the first two ODIs, Ajinkya Rahane scored two fifties batting at No.3 but he failed at Rajkot, while Kohli, who was struggling, scored a half-century after being promoted to No.5. It’s a conundrum that Dhoni has to solve as his batting position has also been questioned – primarily due to India’s failure in chasing down gettable totals. Opening batsman Shikhar Dhawan and seasoned left-hander Suresh Raina have not delivered so far and pressure will increase on them if they don’t pull up their socks in Chennai. While Dhawan has 73 runs against South Africa in the past five matches, including the two Twenty20 Internationals, Raina, a trusted limited overs batsman, has scored just three runs in the ODI series. On the bowling front, leg-spinner Amit Mishra’s availability is in doubt following a police case registered in Bengaluru by a Mumbai-based film producer against the Haryana cricketer. His unavailablity will surely unsettle India’s slow bowling plans and could force Dhoni to hand a debut to Gurkeerat Mann. Other slowe bowlers will be Harbhajan Singh and younbg left-armer Axar Patel. Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Mohit Sharma have performed decently and if Dhoni prefers left-arm medium pacer Sreenath Arvind, who replaced Umesh Yadav, will be interesting. Karanataka’s Arvind played in the T20Is. Meanwhile, South Africa will also ponder options after all-rounder Jean-Paul Duminy was ruled out of the rest of the series with a hand injury. The left-handed batsman’s replacement Dean Elgar’s late arrival might force captain AB de Villiers to bring in right-arm paceman Chris Morris, who also can be a handy lower-order batsman. However, South Africa are on top of their game, winning the T20I series and the two ODIs so far. AB de Villiers, Faf du Plessis are in good form. At Rajkot, opener Quinton de Kock scored a century to mark his return to form and that should please the visiting camp. David Miller, who was struggling, also showed signs of recovery as he scored 33 after being promoted to open the batting. Hashim Amla, meanwhile, has not been up to his level, scoring just 59 runs. He has not been able to convert starts and, come Thursday, the right-hander will look out to sort his thinking. The South African pace attack has not been at its very best on the Indian tracks, but Dale Steyn, Morne Morkel and Kagiso Rabada have been effective. Leg-spinner Imran Tahir will lead the Proteas’ spin attack. IANS
India vs South Africa 4th ODI as it happened: India clinch win despite de Villiers masterclass
Live scores and updates of the 4th ODI between India and South Africa in Chennai.
 "India vs South Africa 4th ODI as it happened: India clinch win despite de Villiers masterclass")
So the 35-run win for India sets it up beautifully for the final match of this series as the teams move to Wankhede – what a setting for what promises to be a cracker. That’s it from us here at Firstpost. Join us on Sunday around 1230 PM for the live coverage of the series decider.
This is Vinayakk, signing off.
Two top centuries...unfortunate that one of the centurions had to finish on the losing side. To me AB's ton was better of the two. #IndvSA
— Aakash Chopra (@cricketaakash) October 22, 2015
Fine win for India. Makes for great climax in Mumbai on Sunday. Meanwhile MSD & Co must tip their hats to acknowledge ABdeVilliers17 genius
— Cricketwallah (@cricketwallah) October 22, 2015
Bhuvi finishes his 10 overs, 3-68. A slew of slow ball bouncers and bouncers in that over. The Proteas have taught him well.
After 49 overs, SA 257/9 (Rabada 6, Tahir 0)
Rabada plays a super cover drive off the first ball from Mohit for four. Tahir meanwhile decides he needs early dinner and waits outside the crease for Rahane to get a direct hit right, but Rahane does not oblige. The match goers on. Bhuvi from the other end.
After 48 overs, SA 257/9 (Rabada 6, Tahir 0)
Seven runs from Mishra’s over as India look to close this out.
After 46 overs, SA 246/7 (Phangiso 16, Steyn 5)
1000 runs for @ABdeVilliers17 in ODIs on Indian soil in just 18 innings - fastest for any batsman (Chris Gayle is 2nd with 21).#IndvSA
— Rajneesh Gupta (@rgcricket) October 22, 2015
Axar Patel with a good over in the scheme of things – just five from it. 71 required from 36 balls.
After 44 overs, SA 229/6 (De Villiers 108, Phangiso 9)
Four singles from Mishra’s 8th over. India will take that. ABdV’s fitness holds the key, it’s fair to say?
Harbhajan with his 10th from the other end. After 4 singles from the first 5 balls, ABdV gives a not-so-warm sendoff to Bhajji – depositing his last ball over midwicket for a six. What a player! 3 short of a century. Bhajji finishes with 10-0-50-2.
After 42 overs, SA 214/6 (De Villiers 97, Phangiso 5)
Asked this Aussie kid in Dehradun why AB de Villiers is his favourite: "To do what he does in all formats, AB is a freak of nature." #IndvSA
— Chetan Narula (@chetannarula) October 22, 2015
Five runs in that over from Mohit. ABdV running out of partners? Mohit welcomes Phangiso with a bouncer on helmet. Crucially AB keeps strike.
Harbhajan from the other end for his 9th over. First signs of cramping from ABdV. After a Dhoni-esque two doubles from the first two balls, he dances down the track – cramp and all – and chips Bhajji over mid-off for four. 10 runs from that over, but Phangiso will take strike next over.
After 40 overs, SA 200/6 (De Villiers 87, Phangiso 1), 100 runs required from the last 10 overs.
This innings from AB de Villiers is what makes our sport fascinating. He is, once again, elevating batting to another level.
— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) October 22, 2015
Ooooof, inhuman shot by ABdV. Steps down the track, Bhajji fires it down the leg side, he reverse sweeps it from leg stump for four through covers! UNBELIEVABLE! Six runs from Bhajji’s over.
Axar from the other end and Morris shows he can bat too. His turn to reverse sweep it over deep cover for four. Six runs from that over too. RRR 9.23 but still in it, SA.
After 37 overs, SA 180/5 (De Villiers 72, Morris 7)
Bhuvi continues and will be glad he got to bowl five balls at Morris after AB takes a single off the first ball. Four dot balls follow, then oddly, a single off the last ball. Dhoni would be chuffed with that.
After 35 overs, SA 168/5 (De Villiers 66, Morris 1)
There are two different matches happening simultaneously here, ladies and gentlemen. ABD takes the attack to Mishra – first a pull that flies to the midwicket for four, then the reverse sweep comes out, again for a four. That’s 5 boundaries in the last 7 balls he has faced. Mishra then outfoxes Morris with two proper leg-spinners. ABD is a superman.
After 34 overs, SA 166/5 (De Villiers 65, Morris 0)
Ok, #ABD special? Can he do the unthinkable? #IndvsSA
— Angikaar Choudhury (@AngikaarC) October 22, 2015
Bhuvi comes back into the attack and his horror night continues – three 4’s in that over. A short ball pulled, another shot ball slapped through covers, and then a streaky inside edge past Dhoni. Brings up his 50 in that over. This one is not over yet, folks!
After 33 overs, SA 157/5 (De Villiers 56, Morris 0)
OUT! Amit Mishra gets the breakthrough. Behardien is given out LBW as he was playing a sweep to a very full ball – hit him just in line. Was it spinning away? Not sure. Behardien was given a life just earlier as a clear outside edge was not given out.
Wicket maiden from Mishra
After 32 overs, SA 144/5 (De Villiers 43, Morris 0)
Just three runs from Mohit Sharma’s over – this is an excellent spell as he could well have gone for runs if SA wanted to target the faster bowlers.
After 31 overs, SA 144/4 (De Villiers 43, Behardien 22)
Excellent over from Mohit Sharma – just one run from it. Mohit tests Behardien with the bouncer, there was also one ball which tailed back in to Behardien – first signs of reverse swing.
Mishra continues from the other end and Bhuvi at mid-on was in the thick of things there. First a mistimed pull by ABD falls short of him, but Behardien was halfway down the track and a wild throw sees him get back in time. Then a mistimed sweep falls behind Bhuvi who was tracking back.
After 30 overs, SA 141/4 (De Villiers 42, Behardien 21)
Just two runs from Mishra’s over as the required run rate is now 7.45. *which is of course nothing with ABD still there*
After 28 overs, SA 136/4 (De Villiers 40, Behardien 17)
Mohit gets a good line going on his comeback. No hint of reverse unlike for the SA bowlers. Four runs from it. Good partnership this so far, 46 runs in about 9 overs. ABD still capable of taking this away from India, but you already know that.
After 27 overs, SA 134/4 (De Villiers 39, Behardien 16)
He’s been a class apart..
Love how #ABD is using his feet. Might not count for much in the long run, but showing again why's he so good. #IndvsSA
— Angikaar Choudhury (@AngikaarC) October 22, 2015
A chance-y over played out by ABD as Mishra continues. After a stupendous on-drive off the first ball – dancing down the track and driving it on the move to long on for four – ABD first gets beaten by the slider outside off. Comes down again but the ball takes to first slip off his toe, Raina missed a direct hit from slips as ABD was well out of the crease. Another leading edge then falls short of mid-on.
After 26 overs, SA 130/4 (De Villiers 36, Behardien 15)
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