South Africa vs India, 1st ODI: Preview, stats, and more
After losing the Test series 2-1, the Indian cricket team turns its focus on the three-match ODI series, starting on Wednesday. The first ODI between the two sides will be held at the Boland Park in Paarl. KL Rahul will be leading Team India after Virat Kohli was stripped of his captaincy duty in the 50-over format. Here's the complete match preview.
Why does it matter?
The series holds a lot of importance given Rahul will lead the Indian side. He will be eager to perform well and show his mettle as captain. With no Rohit Sharma, the versatile Rahul is likely to open alongside veteran Shikhar Dhawan. India will also need to get their team selection right, having a big squad at their disposal.
India will need to show their pedigree
India have a strong squad and an ideal start will be the way after letting the Test series slip by. Rahul and Dhawan can be highly crucial upfront and their application will be key. The focus will be on Kohli, who stepped down as India's Test captain recently. Meanwhile, off-spinner R Ashwin is likely to make his return to the ODI set-up.
SA have a strong outfit on offer
The Temba Bavuma-led South African side will be no pushovers. The Proteas unit looks strong on paper and home advantage is what the side will be riding on. Janneman Malan can be highly influential for the hosts with Quinton de Kock aiming to showcase his credentials after retiring from Tests. Kagiso Rabada will lead the SA attack, which also has Tabraiz Shamsi.
A look at the probable XI of both teams
South Africa probable XI: Aiden Markram, Quinton de Kock (wk), Janneman Malan, Temba Bavuma (c), Rassie van der Dussen, David Miller, Andile Phehlukwayo, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi, Tabraiz Shamsi India probable XI: Shikhar Dhawan, KL Rahul (c), Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant (wk), Shreyas Iyer, Suryakumar Yadav/Venkatesh Iyer, Ravichandran Ashwin, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Deepak Chahar/Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Yuzvendra Chahal
Key details about the match
The pitch at Boland Park will help the batters. As the match progresses, the pacers will need to alter their pace. Spinners will be in the game and they will hope to exploit the offerings. The match will start at 2:00 PM IST. One can watch the match live on the Star Sports Network and stream the same on the Hotstar app (paid subscription).
Here is the head-to-head record
South Africa and India have played 84 ODI matches to date. The Proteas have managed to win 46 games. India have pocketed 35 wins. Three games did not have a result. Notably, India have won seven of the last eight ODIs between the two sides. India beat SA 6-1 in their previous ODI series back in 2018-19.
