India Faces 20th Consecutive ODI Toss Defeat as South Africa Chooses to Field
India’s struggle in toss outcomes continued as they faced their 20th consecutive defeat in the ODI toss, with South Africa opting to field first in the ongoing series. This streak has now stretched since the 2023 ICC World Cup, marking a notable challenge for the Indian cricket team.
India and South Africa ODI Series Overview
The two cricketing nations are competing in a three-match ODI series, with the second match scheduled at Raipur’s Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh Stadium. The first match concluded with India clinching victory, setting the stage for an exciting contest.
Team Line-ups
Both teams have made several strategic choices ahead of the match:
- India’s Playing XI: Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Washington Sundar, KL Rahul (captain and wicketkeeper), Ravindra Jadeja, Harshit Rana, Kuldeep Yadav, Arshdeep Singh, Prasidh Krishna.
- South Africa’s Playing XI: Quinton de Kock (wicketkeeper), Aiden Markram, Temba Bavuma (captain), Matthew Breetzke, Tony de Zorzi, Dewald Brevis, Marco Jansen, Corbin Bosch, Keshav Maharaj, Nandre Burger, Lungi Ngidi.
Pitch and Match Conditions
The pitch at Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Stadium typically supports medium-fast and slower bowlers. With conditions looking favorable for batting, spectators can expect another engaging match. The game is set to begin at 1:30 PM IST, and fans can catch the live action on the Star Sports Network or stream it via the JioHotstar app.
Head-to-Head Record
Historically, India and South Africa have faced each other 95 times in ODIs. The records show:
- India has secured 41 victories.
- South Africa leads with 51 wins.
- Three matches ended without results.
- On Indian soil, India has won 19 out of 33 encounters.
Key Player Performances
Several players have made significant contributions in previous matches:
- Rohit Sharma holds the record for the most ODI sixes, totaling 352.
- Virat Kohli averages an impressive 68.29 against South Africa, with six hundreds to his name.
- Kuldeep Yadav has claimed 31 wickets in 14 ODIs against South Africa.
- Matthew Breetzke boasts a remarkable average of 68.22 after ten ODI matches.
- Quinton de Kock has accumulated 1,077 ODI runs against India, averaging 51.28.
Ongoing Toss Challenges for India
India’s continued inability to win tosses has drawn attention. Their current streak of 20 toss losses is noteworthy in the ODI landscape. The next closest streak belongs to the Netherlands, which saw an 11-match toss-losing streak from 2011 to 2013.
As the series progresses, the stakes remain high for India to reverse their fortunes both in the toss and on the field.
