IND vs SA 2022-23, Lucknow ODI: Gaikwad, Bishnoi debut as India opts to field

India and South Africa are clashing in the opening Lucknow ODI on Thursday. It is a rain-truncated game, which would be 40-over per side for now. The hosts have opted to field, while Ruturaj Gaikwad and Ravi Bishnoi will be debuting.

After the 2-1 winning performance in the just-concluded three-match Twenty20 Internationals (T20Is), India is taking on South Africa in three One-Day Internationals (ODIs). On Thursday, the opening contest is being played at the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow. The match is threatened by rain. It has been curtailed to 40 over per side, while more rain is forecasted for the day. As for the coin toss, the hosts have won it and will be fielding first, while opener Ruturaj Gaikwad and Ravi Bishnoi will be making their ODI debut.

After winning the toss, stand-in Indian skipper Shikhar Dhawan noted, "We would like to field first. There is a bit of moisture on the wicket, and we want to exploit that. We got six batters and five bowlers playing. Ruturaj is making his debut today. A couple of spinners and three pacers."

In contrast, South African captain Temba Bavuma commented, "We would have liked to bowl first as well. We have a job with the bat and must adapt accordingly after the first few overs. You have got to be able to adapt to different formats quickly, and we still want to keep those T20 skills in check. Every game for us is a big opportunity. [Janneman] Malan is back at the top, [Heinrich] Klaasen is back in the middle, and [Tabraiz] Shamsi is back."

Playing XI
IND: Shikhar Dhawan (c), Shubman Gill, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Shreyas Iyer, Ishan Kishan (wk), Sanju Samson (wk), Shardul Thakur, Kuldeep Yadav, Ravi Bishnoi, Mohammed Siraj and Avesh Khan.
SA: Janneman Malan, Quinton de Kock (wk), Temba Bavuma (c), Aiden Markram, Heinrich Klaasen [wk], David Miller, Wayne Parnell, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi and Tabraiz Shamsi.