Will a threat issued by the Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti or Patel agitation affect the game?
High on confidence after levelling the series, a resurgent India will look to capitalise on their return to winning ways when they take on formidable South Africa in the crucial third ODI cricket match in Rajkot on Sunday.
The splendid 22-run victory in Indore on Wednesday was a shot-in-the-arm not only for the team but also for under-fire captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni after they lost the series opener at Green Park.
The Ranchi star, whose very place in the eleven has come under scrutiny, answered his critics with match-winning 92 not out, his 16th fifty as captain, which pulled the squad out of a rut and placed it with a fighting total in hand.
Dhoni's pyrotechnics was backed up by some excellent spin bowling by Axar Patel and Harbhajan Singh, who was drafted into the squad as cover for the injured Ravichandran Ashwin.
The confidence of the Indians will have been lifted by this come-from-behind victory after they were struggling at 124 for 6 around the 30-over mark before posting a challenging score of 247, thanks in the main to Dhoni's blazing 86-ball knock that contained 4 sixes and 7 fours.
Dhoni not only shone with the bat in his inimitable style but also utilised his bowlers well as his preferred ODI line-up in home conditions appears to be a left-arm spinner and off-spinner at the cost of leg spinner Amit Mishra who had bowled well in India's 5-run loss in the first match, but was omitted for the second ODI.
The victory in Indore helped India halt South Africa's three-match winning run on thistour, the visitors' other two victories having come in the best-of-three T20 series held prior to the ODI contest.
However, Dhoni and his men would be wary of dropping their guard on Sunday, for the team that triumphs is bound to hold a distinct psychological edge ahead of the penultimate game in Chennai on October 22.
While Dhoni's return to his clinically finishing best is a big plus for the team, the lack of runs from the blade of Virat Kohli, as well as key members -- Suresh Raina and Shikhar Dhawan – could be a bit worry for the hosts.
Kohli, Raina and Dhawan are capable run-getters who would relish batting on what is expected to be a batsman-friendly track at the Khandheri Stadium.
The visitors, too, have plenty to ponder on after their loss in chasing a modest total in Indore.
One of the priorities they need to address is tackling spin bowling effectively.
While captain AB de Villiers and Faf du Plessis have delivered well at the of the order, the same has not been the case with Hashim Amla and David Miller.
It’s of primary importance for Amla to get into the groove for he has the ability to counter spin bowling effectively and play the sheet-anchor’s role for the other stroke makers to flourish around him.
In bowling, the effectiveness of the tourists' pace battery led by Dale Steyn has been nullified to a large extent by the Indian tracks.
But India cannot forget the ability that Proteas have in the bowling department. Steyn's extra speed and the steep bounce capable of being extracted by colleague Morne Morkel, along with the raw pace of the young Kagiso Rabada cannot be discounted even on shirtfront tracks.
They have adequate spin support from Imran Tahir and Jean-Paul Duminy to slow down the pace if the fast bowlers go for too many runs on what is expected to be a belter of a track against the likes of destructive and in-form batsmen like Rohit Sharma and Dhoni.
Rohit averages just over 70 at home in ODIs, as compared to 32-plus overseas, and should be looking forward to get back to the sort of touch that fetched him a belligerent 133-ball 150, albeit for a losing cause, at Kanpur.
Ajinkya Rahane too, following back-to-back fifties, would be longing to continue the good work while the track also offers a good platform for Kohli, Dhawan and Raina to strike it rich.
The pitch curator at the Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium, Rasik Makwana, has said ahead of the game that the track would offer a lot of runs and the dew factor would be minimal at this time of the year, given the sort of dry conditions in Rajkot at present.
One major worrying factor for the organisers is the threat of disruption issued by Hardik Patel's Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti (PAAS), who have stated their plan to use the game as a platform for their ongoing agitation for reservation.
Patel issued a threat on Friday stating they would block the way of the two teams to the stadium with their community members blocking off the venue as tickets were allegedly not sold to his community members.
"SCA should clarify why they declared that all tickets are sold inspite of the fact that many tickets remain unsold," Patel had said in a media statement.
Security is expected to be tighter than usual in view of this threat to the game's conduct.
Squads:
India: Mahendra Singh Dhoni (captain), Ravichandran Ashwin, Stuart Binny, Shikhar Dhawan, Virat Kohli, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Axar Patel, Ajinkya Rahane, Suresh Raina, Ambati Rayudu, Mohit Sharma, Rohit Sharma, Umesh Yadav, Gurkeerat Singh, Amit Mishra and Harbhajan Singh.
South Africa: AB De Villiers (captain), Hashim Amla, Quinton de Kock, Faf Du Plessis, JP Duminy, David Miller, Farhaan Behardien, Chris Morris, Khaya Zondo, Aaron Phangiso, Imran Tahir, Dale Steyn, Morne Morkel, Kyle Abbott, Kagiso Rabada.
Hours of Play: 1:30 pm to 5 pm; 5:40 pm to close.
