Team News
South Africa is going with four changes in their playing XI from the first ODI. The most notable change is that Aiden Markram has been dropped from the side. Instead, Wihan Lubbe will make his ODI debut at the top of the order. Quinton de Kock moves up to open and Heinrich Klassen comes in for Markram as a specialist batsman lower down in the order. Mohammed Shami also returns to the squad following injury as well as Andile Phehlukwayo who makes way for Duanne Olivier who was good with both bat and ball against Sri Lanka last week. India meanwhile has come out of its shell a little bit more with one change.
Weather Report
It is a hot and humid day in Delhi with temperatures hovering around 37°C. The weather conditions are expected to stay the same for the duration of the match.
Playing 11
The Indians will be without their regular captain MS Dhoni and vice-captain Rohit Sharma who are both rested. Shikhar Dhawan and Ajinkya Rahane will lead the side in the absence of both. But the Indian batting line-up is still one of the best in this format with players like Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Dinesh Karthik and Rishabh Pant all capable of big scores. The same can be said about their bowling attack as well with Jasprit Bumrah leading a pace attack that also includes Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Khaleel Ahmed.
Pitch and Conditions
The first match of the series will be played at Eden Gardens in Kolkata. It is a different venue from the other matches which were all played in Nagpur. Eden Gardens has been a happy hunting ground for India and they will hope for more of the same. The weather is expected to be similar to that in Nagpur but humidity is likely to be high and this may make batting easier. There are also concerns about the pitch being flat which could lead to low scores if it remains true during this match as well.
Where to Watch Live Coverage?
The match will be broadcast live on TV (Star Sports 1/HD) and online through Hotstar. For the viewers in India and its neighboring countries, the match will be available on Star Sports Select HD1. As for those in the US, they can watch it on Willow TV while viewers in the UK can do so by tuning into Sky Sports Mix.
Key Players From Both Sides
The Indian team is led by Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. The former has been in good form with the bat this year and will be looking for a big score against the Proteas. The latter has been in decent form with the bat as well and will be looking for some runs as well. India has plenty of batting firepower in their ranks but they are not without their weaknesses as well. One of them is that Murali Vijay has had a poor outing so far with the bat while KL Rahul hasn’t had much success either. Quinton de Kock is one batsman who could exploit these weaknesses if he gets going at his best.
Who Will Win?
India will win this match. It is India’s first chance to play against quality opposition in the 20-over format and it is an opportunity for them to test their bench strength. The Indian batting line-up has plenty of experience and depth. Their bowling attack also does not lack experience with the likes of Jasprit Bumrah, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mohammed Shami, and Kuldeep Yadav on duty. The Proteas will have a tough task ahead of them trying to keep up with the Indians.
South Africa will be without two of their mainstay players in Quinton de Kock and Faf du Plessis who are both injured.
