India vs South Africa 2021-22, 2nd ODI: Will Proteas seal the deal, or Men in Blue produce a comeback?
India and South Africa lock horns in the second ODI in Paarl on Friday. After losing the first ODI, the Men in Blue trail the three-match series 0-1. Here is the match preview.
FollowAfter a hard-fought loss for India in the opening One-Day International (ODI), things move to the second ODI against South Africa at Boland Park in Paarl on Friday. While the hosts will be looking to seal the series in this game, the visitors will be desperate to bounce back. However, it will be no easy task for either side, as we present the preview of this compelling encounter.
Current form
While India is coming off a series win in Sri Lanka, South Africa is coming off a series loss in the same country. However, the Indians suffered a loss in the opening game, putting pressure on them. Moreover, followed by the failure in the Test series, the South Africans will have the upper hand here.
Team strength & weaknesses, and players to watch out
Considering India, its bowling will be its strength, while it needs to work hard to get the wickets in the middle overs. But, its batting is equally strong, and the middle-order needs to shoulder more responsibility. Jasprit Bumrah, Deepak Chahar, Shardul Thakur, Mohammed Siraj, Virat Kohli, Shikhar Dhawan, Shreyas Iyer, Venkatesh Iyer, KL Rahul, Rishabh Pant and Ishan Kishan are the ones who can prove to be deadly for the Proteas.
As for South Africa, it will be strong in terms of its batting. On the other hand, its bowling might lack some star power. But, the visitors cannot afford to be complacent. Temba Bavuma, Aiden Markram, David Miller, Russie van der Dussen, Wayne Parnell, Quinton de Kock, Kagiso Rabada and Lungi Nigdi can change the course of the game in no given time.
Injury concerns and head-to-head
South Africa has no major injury concerns, while India hopes pacer Mohammed Siraj will recover from his hamstring niggle. Considering the head-on clashes, the two have faced each other in ODIs on 85 instances, with SA having a lead of 47-35. In 35 ODIs in the nation, the hosts possess the authority of 23-10. They meet for the second time in Paarl, with SA having the upper hand after winning the last ODI.
Weather and pitch report
The weather in Paarl will be shiny and cheerful, with the temperature expected to be around 39 degrees and the humidity will be about 23%. The pitch will get faster as the game progresses, while the side that wins the toss might look to bat first since it initially offers something to the batters.
Probable XI
IND: KL Rahul (c), Shikhar Dhawan, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Rishabh Pant (wk), Venkatesh Iyer, Shardul Thakur, Ravichandran Ashwin, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Jasprit Bumrah and Yuzvendra Chahal.
SA: Quinton de Kock (wk), Janneman Malan, Aiden Markram, Temba Bavuma (c), Rassie van der Dussen, David Miller, Andile Phehlukwayo, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Lungi Ngidi and Tabraiz Shamsi.
Fantasy XI
Batters: Kohli, Dhawan, Bavuma (vc), van der-Dussen (c) - Dhawan will give the good start, followed by Kohli at number three, while Bavuma and van der-Dussen consolidate in the middle. Also, the Proteas' great form makes them the deputy and skipper, respectively.
Wicketkeeper: De Kock - While he has a competition with Rishabh Pant, he is marginally better in terms of form.
All-rounders: Ashwin, Phehlukwayo - Both will be highly effective, especially with the ball, while they can bat if needed.
Bowlers: Bumrah, Thakur, Shamsi, Ngidi - Shamsi was a surprise package with his spin and will be continuing with the same charm, while the remaining trio is sure to be lethal with their pace.
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Match details
Date and day: January 21, 2022 (Friday)
Venue: Boland Park, Paarl
Time: 2.00 PM (IST)
Where to watch (TV): Star Sports 1 and Star Sports 1 Hindi (also available in HD)
Where to watch (Online): Hotstar
