In recent times Bengal Tigers in their own backyard hunted both India and South Africa in ODI cricket series. Mashrafe squad was simply brilliant in winning both the series 2-1.
But without any semblance of doubt they are the formidable forces of world cricket and any contest between them anywhere is bound to create lots of sparks and enthusiasm in cricket community.
The first of five matches ODI series starts today at Green Park Kanpur in hours. Viewers would in fact be engrossed on TV coverage of the match when this preview gets the light of printing. A mouthwatering contest of two battle giants is in view.
We had the opportunity of witnessing the last head to head contest of the teams at MCG in the World Cup on a very hot and humid day with over 80,000 spectators crowding massive ground. India won the contest very comfortably that day on an easy-paced wicket.
On this series, neither team is clear favorite and experts predict an even contest. South Africa has already won the 3 match T20 series 2-0 with the third at Kolkata being rained out without even a ball being bowled. India is India for a while is believed to be a difficult team to beat. But in recent time India is going through a process of rebuilding and at the same time many leading players of the South African team are familiar with Indian condition and surface being regulars in IPL franchises.
This writer followed Indian team last summer in Australia before and during the world cup. They did not appear to me that difficult and competitive team that it used to be in the past few years. The bowling attack looked ordinary and the batting lacked depth and quality.
We also watched South Africa. They were among the favorites for winning the world cup but again choked against New Zealand in the semifinal. They have several match winners but as happens always they promises a lot but fails to deliver at crunch time. But even without one of the greatest ever all-rounder of all times Jacques Henry Kallis South Africa is still very much capable of winning against any team anywhere.
It is the series opener. Proteans must be in good shape after winning the T20 series. But Indians are strong enough to bounce back. Wickets can play a defining role. Indians cannot afford to have too much grass, as very lethal South African attack would haunt them. They are also a little bit skeptical whether a turning track can make Imran Tahir a monster, The Kanpur Green Park surface usually favors spin. Indian Captain Dhoni has suggested for a spin favoring track with not much grass.
If the bowling in the recent ODI series is of any indication at all seamers of both side failed to impress. For India Mohit Sharma, Umesh Yadav and Bhuvneshwar Kumar could only take 5 wickets between them in Bangladesh.
Morne Morkel and Kyle Abbott got just one wicket Rabada and DW Steyn may tilt the balance in South African favour as Indian batsmen in recent times have shown genuine weakness against moving balls at pace.
Indian batting hero Virat Kholi particularly is not in great form. His scores 1, 23 and 25 indicates that that his sublime footwork appears to have gone for a while or perhaps bowlers have started working him out. He failed to score even a fifty in his last 10 innings.
For South Africa same thing applies for great Hashim Amla for his extended streak of bad patch with the bat. The batting leaders of both teams are expected to come to their own in the series.
Indian wickets, Indian environment and Indian crowd are not unknown to South Africans .In recent times they remain the only team to have won most match on tour.
South Africa lost the warm up match but quickly got back into business winning the first two T20 matches. They chased comfortably a huge target in the first and crushed India in the second.
ABD and JPD were in vintage touch. The morale must be high. For India only Rohit looked to be in form with the bat. Kohli, Dhiwan, Dhoni were completely out of sorts. Rahane is expected to return and many thought not playing him in T20 was a mistake on the part of Dhoni. Many even argued whether Dhoni has started losing his touch a little bit as a finisher.
South Africa may probably bring back Wicket Keeper Opening batsman Quinton de Kock to free their master blaster ABD of keeping task. They have to choose one from David Miller, Farhan Behardien and Chris Morris. They will also have to choose who to add to Steyn and Morkel from among Rabada and Abbott. They will definitely include Imran Tahir.
Our Suggested South Africa Playing XI: 1 Quinton de Kock (wk), 2 Hashim Amla, 3 Faf du Plessis, 4 AB de Villiers (Capt), 5 JP Duminy, 6 David Miller 7 Chris Morris, 8 Dale Steyn, 9 Morne Morkel, 10 Kagiso Rabada, 11 Imran Tahir
India must find a slot for Ajinka Rahane and Indian ODI captain Dhoni must bat at higher order to lead his team from the front.
Our suggestion would be.
India Playing XI: 1 Rohit Sharma, 2 Shikhar Dhawan, 3 Virat Kohli, 4 MS Dhoni (capt & wk), 5Ajinka Rahane , 6 Suresh Raina, 7Amit Sharma, 8 R Ashwin , 9 Bhuvneshwar Kumar, 10 Mohit Sharma, 11 Umesh Yadav
This is a day game and has to worries of dew or playing under flood light but it is expected to be a very hot and may be humid day. The team that settles their nerve will sustain. First match on an even matched series is very important. A mouthwatering contest is what everyone is looking forward.
BDST: 0840 HRS, OCT 10, 2015
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