With a recurring theme of a faltering opening combination in the first two matches, India's prospects of clinching their second ODI series triumph in South Africa hinge on a solid start from the openers in the third and final match on Thursday.
India's solitary ODI series win in the Rainbow nation occurred in 2018, emphasising the need for a strong beginning from Ruturaj Gaikwad and B Sai Sudharsan.
While Sudharsan has impressed with scores of 55 and 62 in the series so far, Gaikwad struggled, contributing just five and four runs. The opening partnerships ended at 23 and four in Johannesburg and Port Elizabeth.
In contrast, South African openers Tony de Zorzi and Reeza Hendricks crafted a 130-run partnership. On the other hand, Tilak Varma, once promising, has faced a dip in form, struggling in recent T20I series and continuing to do so in South Africa.
Gaikwad and Varma must rediscover their form, especially with Shreyas Iyer absent from the middle order. The Boland Park pitch, known for favoring batsmen, provides a glimmer of hope for the top-order batsmen.
There is a possibility of giving Sanju Samson another chance after his dismissal for 12 in the last match. Mukesh Kumar's wicketless streak raises concerns in India's bowling department, urging him to find his rhythm. The team management may consider veteran leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal, who showed good form in the recent Vijay Hazare Trophy.
From the South African perspective, the performance of left-handed De Zorzi raises hopes for a potential long-term replacement for Quinton de Kock. Fast bowler Nandre Burger's aggressive performance with the new ball adds to South Africa's optimism.
As India faces South Africa in the third ODI, these key players and strategic decisions will play a crucial role in determining the outcome of the series.
Squads:
India: KL Rahul (captain, WK), Ruturaj Gaikwad, Sai Sudharsan, Tilak Varma, Rajat Patidar, Rinku Singh, Shreyas Iyer, Sanju Samson (wk), Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, Mukesh Kumar, Avesh Khan, Arshdeep Singh, Akash Deep.
South Africa: Aiden Markram (captain), Nandre Burger, Tony de Zorzi, Reeza Hendricks, Heinrich Klaasen, Keshav Maharaj, David Miller, Mihlali Mpongwana, Wiaan Mulder, Beuran Hendricks, Rassie van der Dussen, Tabraiz Shamsi, Lizaad Williams, Kyle Verreynne.
Match starts at 4:30 PM IST
Where to watch: The live broadcast of the matches in India will be available on the Star Sports Network. You can catch the action on the Disney+Hotstar app and website.
