Is this World Cup really about batsmen? Should South Africa drop Duminy? WORLD CUP TALKING POINTS

SAM MORSHEAD AT THE HAMPSHIRE BOWL: The performances of Kagiso Rabada, Jasprit Bumrah and Yuzvendra Chahal here acted as a tap on the shoulder of the tournament. "Hey, you! Yes, you! We're here too… and we've got something to say"

Making a Hash of it

South Africa would have pinned their hopes of giving India a workout on their opening pair, and Hashim Amla in particular.

Amla has been in good nick for his country and got to know the Hampshire Bowl during a spell with the English county last year, when he made 492 first-class runs, but he looked totally ill at ease at the crease throughout his brief stay on Wednesday and departed for just six.

Since being struck on the head by Jofra Archer at The Oval on the tournament’s opening day, Amla has made 14 runs from 24 balls and never appeared settled. CricViz say he has edged a sixth of those deliveries, to boot.

It’s not for this column to say the blow from Archer, which caused Amla to miss the defeat by Bangladesh, has had a direct impact of his performance, but South Africa desperately need his runs back. And fast.

^{Hashim Amla has not been at his best since being struck by Jofra Archer}

Join the dots

An incredible 70 per cent of deliveries in South Africa’s initial 10-over powerplay were dot balls.

That’s more than any other game in the World Cup to date, and shows quite clearly the dominance of the Indian bowlers in the early stages of the game.

JP conundrum

JP Duminy has been a terrific servant to South African cricket, with more than 9,000 international runs and 120-odd wickets for his country, but an honest conversation needs to be had about his role in the side.

Duminy has experience of just about every match situation you could expect, and knowledge of most of the bowling attacks South Africa will face this summer, but from a statistical point of view, how much does he bring the side?

Since the start of 2017, he has managed just three scores in excess of 50 in one-day internationals, he averages just 28.88 with the bat in that time (compared to a career figure of 36.97), and his bowling numbers are just as meagre (seven wickets at 78s; he goes at 45.67 all told).

Against the other four sides in the ICC’s top five in ODIs - England, India, Australia and New Zealand - the past two years have been even more of a struggle, with 15 matches bringing him just 250 runs with a best score of 51.

Duminy is going to retire from one-day internationals after the World Cup and there may be sentimental voices saying he deserves a full run, and the chance to help turn his team’s campaign around, but South Africa are in a hole and it could be that by keeping their allrounder in the team they are only throwing him a trowel.

^{JP Duminy walks off after being dismissed by Kuldeep Yadav}

Bat v ball

We have been talking so much about the quality of batsmen at this World Cup, and the possibility of record-breaking scores being made during the tournament, that we have taken the spotlight off the top-drawer bowlers on show.

The performances of Kagiso Rabada, Jasprit Bumrah and Yuzvendra Chahal here acted as a tap on the shoulder of the tournament.

“Hey, you! Yes, you! We’re here too… and we’ve got something to say.”

Bumrah was magical in his initial burst, removing both South African openers and finding extraordinary shape into the right-hander and away from the left, while Chahal’s variations bewitched the middle order.

Then Rabada took up the mantle, charging in at furious pace and peppering the Indians with deliveries just short of a length which flew off bat handles and shoulders and gloves before eventually finding the edge.

On a playing surface which was curiously favourable to the bowlers - the ‘Hampshire Bowl’ has become an ODI batting paradise in recent years - it was the perfect combination of aggression and discipline.

We’re eight games into this competition now and there have only been five scores above 250 (albeit all have gone on to go past 300). That suggests a much more even balance between bat and ball.

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Sharma chameleon

Fourteen batsmen struggled for fluency on this tricky wicket at Southampton, and then there was Rohit Sharma.

Playing a little within himself, and showing plenty of patience, the opener weighed anchor and refused to be budged. When the spinners lost their line, he cut and swept them for four, when the quicks lost their length he pulled with power and conviction. Otherwise he was considered and calm. And that is why India have got off to a winning start.

Sharma has now gone past 50 in three successive ODIs and looks in ominous nick on the first day of his country's World Cup campaign.

For teams looking to topple Kohli and Co, however, South Africa showed that when the head is chopped off, the tail will flap around. But you must get all three of the captain, Shikhar Dhawan and Sharma relatively cheaply, especially when defending a modest total, or the inevitable happens.

Our coverage of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2019 is brought to you in association with Cricket 19, the official video game of the Ashes. Order your copy now at Amazon.co.uk