India vs South Africa, 1st ODI: 'Not easy at all' with the ball moving and spinning, says Heinrich Klaasen

Cricket Stadium in Lucknow. The victory gave the visitors a 1-0 lead in the three-match series. Put in to bat by the hosts, at one point South Africa were in a spot of bother at 110/4; but Klaasen and David Miller (75 not out) stitched an important partnership of 139 runs to set India a 250-run target in 40 overs.

Read AlsoIndia vs South Africa 1st ODI Highlights: Sanju Samson's unbeaten 86 in vain as India lose to SA by 9 runs in rain-truncated game

Below-par death bowling coupled with ordinary fielding and batting, except for Sanju Samson and Shreyas Iyer, hurt a second-string Indian team as it slumped to a nine-run defeat against South Africa in the rain-truncated first ODI of the three-match series on Thursday.

"It was not easy at all (when I went in to bat). The ball was moving around, and just when I went in, it was spinning," said Klaasen during the post-match presentation ceremony after bagging the 'Player of the Match' award. The 31-year-old South African has an impressive record against India, scoring two half-centuries in T20Is and now a half-century in ODIs as well.

Read AlsoIndia vs South Africa 1st ODI: We gave away too many runs, fielding too wasn't great, says Shikhar Dhawan

India captain Shikhar Dhawan admitted that his team leaked too many runs in the death overs and fielded poorly, leading to the nine-run defeat to South Africa in the rain-hit first ODI on Thursday. "I thought 250 was too many runs. We gave away too many runs on a wicket that swung and spun, the

"I don't know why (the good record against India)," said Klaasen. The next two ODIs of the series will be played in Ranchi and Delhi.