South Africa Targets Rare Double Victory with Focus on Toss and Dew Conditions
South Africa aims for a rare double victory in their ongoing series against India. The upcoming ODI in Vishakapatnam is critical for both teams, as the outcome could hinge on the toss and prevailing dew conditions. Since losing both the Test and ODI series during their last tour in 2021-22, South Africa has a chance to replicate that achievement.
Importance of Toss and Conditions
The toss has significant implications for the teams. Dew plays a crucial role in Indian ODIs, especially with one ball used from the 34th to the 50th over. This new ball advantage may diminish for the team fielding at night due to dew formation. South Africa’s last ODI victory demonstrated their resilience, overcoming a 35-run deficit at the 34-over mark.
India’s Toss Drought
India is desperate to end a streak of 20 consecutive toss losses in ODIs. Their last successful toss was during the semi-final of the previous World Cup. As the teams strategize, India hopes to leverage a possible new ball advantage and secure a considerable total while batting in the afternoon.
Player Highlights
Virat Kohli and Marco Jansen are under the spotlight. Kohli is in excellent form, having registered multiple centuries recently, including at Vishakapatnam where he averages 97.83 in ODIs. His performance could be pivotal in the upcoming match.
- Kohli has achieved back-to-back centuries 11 times in his career.
- He has scored four ODI hundreds at Vishakapatnam.
On the other hand, Jansen is proving himself as an allrounder but seeks improvement in his bowling stats, with four wickets at an average of 34.75. If Nandre Burger is unable to play, Jansen may be tasked with controlling Kohli and Rohit Sharma.
Team News
The Indian lineup is predominantly unchanged, maintaining the same XI that recently won and narrowly lost two ODIs. Ruturaj Gaikwad’s impressive century has strengthened their batting. Conversely, South Africa faces challenges with injuries; two players suffered hamstring issues, leading to their probable replacements in the squad.
- India’s probable XI:
- Yashasvi Jaiswal
- Rohit Sharma
- Virat Kohli
- Ruturaj Gaikwad
- KL Rahul (captain & wicketkeeper)
- Washington Sundar
- Ravindra Jadeja
- Harshit Rana
- Kuldeep Yadav
- Arshdeep Singh
- Prasidh Krishna
- South Africa’s probable XI:
- Aiden Markram
- Quinton de Kock (wicketkeeper)
- Temba Bavuma (captain)
- Matthew Breetzke
- Ryan Rickelton
- Dewald Brevis
- Marco Jansen
- Corbin Bosch
- Keshav Maharaj
- Lungi Ngidi
- Ottneil Baartman
Condition Expectations
Vishakapatnam’s weather is expected to be warm yet suitable for cricket. Recent matches there have shown a wide range of scoring capabilities, from 387 runs against the West Indies to a mere 117 against Australia. This match is expected to favor high scoring, given the lack of weather-related issues in pitch preparation.
The upcoming ODI serves not only as a chance for South Africa to achieve a rare double victory but also for India to break their toss losing streak. As both teams prepare, the match promises to be an exciting spectacle in the cricketing calendar.
