With limited time to recover, India will be hoping for a better batting performance and a comeback against South Africa in the second One-Day International on Friday at Boland Park.
India must get their batting perfect in a short three-match series with only a day between matches, which was one of the key reasons for them losing the first match by 31 runs and falling down 1-0 in the series.
Shikhar Dhawan and Virat Kohli were doing well in a chase of 298 runs until they both fell in quick order. India's middle-order failed to get the chase started on the slow and twist ground at Paarl, where stroke-play was difficult for new batsmen at the wicket, and the IND was down to 188/6.
Short balls dismissed Shreyas Iyer and Venkatesh Iyer, while Rishabh Pant was dismissed by Quinton de Kock's excellent stumping. In the end, the visitors were able to score 265/8 in 50 overs. Giving Venkatesh a chance to bowl was another trick that India and stand-in skipper KL Rahul missed.
Not giving Venkatesh a chance with his medium-pace was a big mistake when South Africa captain Temba Bavuma and Rassie van der Dussen were driving along for their 204-run partnership and managed to control Ravichandran Ashwin, Yuzvendra Chahal, and Shardul Thakur.
With Bavuma and van der Dussen using both conventional and reverse sweeps, India appeared flat and unable to develop a plan to stop the pair from scoring runs.
The South African spin combination of Aiden Markram, Keshav Maharaj, and Tabraiz Shamsi took four wickets in total while allowing 124 runs in 26 overs, beating the Indian spin combination of Ashwin and Chahal, who could only get one wicket while allowing 106 runs in their combined 20 overs.
Everything went well for South Africa with the bat and ball. They were able to swing the match in their favor by getting a grip after Dhawan and Kohli fell.
Their openers, de Kock, Janneman Malan, and Markram, would love to score more runs with the bat. Unless India's batting and strategy improve, it will be difficult for them to stop a strong South Africa from winning their fourth match in a row on this tour.