Dhawan ton studs India's comprehensive win

With nearly 23 overs left, the stage was set for Suresh Raina to come out and do his bidding; instead, Dhoni pulled a rabbit out of the hat and pushed Rahane up, and what a masterstroke that turned out to be. Rahane isn’t the fiercest striker of the cricket ball but he is a clean hitter who showed that you can score briskly even through orthodoxy. He arrived in a blaze of positivity even as Dhawan made the journey to his hundred in 122 deliveries. Taking the pressure off his partner, Rahane unleashed such destruction that South Africa were positively rocked. De Villiers and his men might have expected Raina or Dhoni to cut loose; they were singularly unprepared for the Rahane assault that dominated the third-wicket stand of 129, which came off only 101 deliveries.

Post his century, Dhawan too opened out, an audacious pick-up off Morkel that soared over the fine-leg fence a definitive statement of command and mastery. India then lost 5 for 46 in the last 39 deliveries, starting with Dhawan’s dismissal, but that was far from decisive. What was, was India's pace exhibition, and a tremendous fielding display from a side that will be viewed with respect by the rest of the field.

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