Proteas' Matthew Breetzke unmoved by India’s Vizag fortress ahead of ODI decider

Proteas in-form top-order batter Matthew Breetzke told Indian reporters on Friday that India’s impressive record in Vizag is irrelevant as the visitors chase an ODI series triumph in Visakhapatnam on Saturday.

India and South Africa are deadlocked in the One-Day series, with both teams having won one match each in the three-match showdown, with the decider set to take place in Vizag at 10am on Saturday.

India have lost only two One-Day Internationals in Vizag in the past two decades and have turned Visakhapatnam into a fortress over the years. However, it is important to note that they have yet to play South Africa in ODIs at the venue. Regardless, Proteas batter Breetzke believes India’s record at the ground will play no part whatsoever in their upcoming clash.

“I didn’t know about (their record at) this ground. But that’s pretty irrelevant,” Breetzke told reporters on Friday. “I think we’ve just got to play our best cricket. We know that they’re going to be really hungry to come and win. It’s a must-win game, so it’s going to be a really good contest.”

Breetzke seems to have settled at the No 4 position in the batting order, having scored 72 and 68 in Ranchi and Raipur respectively.

The 27-year-old appears to have mastered reading the game situation and adapting accordingly, despite being only 12 matches into his ODI career. Even senior player Aiden Markram lauded the youngster’s maturity as he shifts gears superbly, allowing his batting partners — whether middle-order or lower-order — to play their natural game.

After Wednesday night’s thriller, where the Proteas successfully chased 359, Breetzke acknowledged they have confidence but admits they still have to go out and execute on Saturday.

“I think obviously in the first game, there was a little bit of trouble, and I had to build the innings. Then in the second game, it was about just managing the guys that were coming in. We lost Aiden, and then I had to manage Brevis there,” Breetzke said.

“Then just managing those guys and letting them bat around me. They’ve got the explosive power, so it was just about really looking to build a partnership with them.

“I think we’ve got a nice balance on our side with a couple of guys that are just proper batters, and then you’ve got powerhouses like Brevis and Jansen that can sort of change the game on its head. There’s a lot of confidence in the batting group at the moment, but we will have to do it again tomorrow.”

Alongside the established match-winners, South Africa have all-rounder Corbin Bosch, who has been building a strong case as a genuine all-rounder since joining the national team. Bosch’s explosive 64 in the first match in Ranchi almost took the Proteas over the line, and his unbeaten 29 in Raipur eventually did, helping the Proteas complete their third-largest successful run chase in ODI cricket.

“(Bosch is) massive (for the team). I think we’ve seen Bosch in the last two matches play some really special innings. I think as the top four, it gives you a lot of confidence,” said Breetzke. “You can take a little bit more time because you know they’ve got that explosive power at the back end. So for us, it’s just about setting that platform up for them to come in at the end and do their thing.”

Having won the Test series earlier in the tour, the Proteas now have an opportunity to win the ODI series as well — a feat that would make the current tour to India one of the team’s most successful in history.