🏏S A tour of India, 2025: India vs South Africa,1st ODI-- Ranchi🏏 - Page 2

JSCA International Stadium Complex, Ranchi — Pitch Report

The surface at the JSCA International Stadium Complex in Ranchi offers a very balanced wicket, and offers an added advantage to the bowlers. The outfield here usually has been on the slower side, meaning batters have to find gaps with precision and power to get full value for their runs. The only 300-plus total came at this venue back in 2019 when Australia faced India. Hence, the team winning the toss and restricting the opposition batters under 300 could be a decider at this venue today as well.

IND vs SA — Probable Top Performers of the match

Probable Best Batter — Virat Kohli

Virat Kohli. (Photo by Alex Davidson-ICC/ICC via Getty Images)

Virat Kohli started the series against Australia with a string of ducks against Australia, but ended the series with a bang, smashing an unbeaten 74 in a memorable run-chase. He will be expected to show similar run of form in the upcoming series as well, and letting his bat do the talking is the only way he knows to play his cricket. Kohli currently has the most centuries (51) in the format, but he certainly won't mind extending the record. The run-machine is expected to have an amazing outing with the bat in Ranchi as well.

Probable Best Bowler — Keshav Maharaj

Keshav Maharaj. (Source - Getty Images)

If there is one spinner who can trouble the Indians in the upcoming match, it is going to be the left-arm orthodox bowler Keshav Maharaj. For the skills as well as the experience that Maharaj has, he is expected to generate some help out of the surface — either with his variation, or with the turn that Ranchi offers. Be it stemming the flow of runs or getting crucial breakthroughs, Maharaj is the most experienced bowler the Proteas boast in their line-up, and he is guaranteed to have a day to remember.

Today's Match Prediction: Team bowling first to win the match

India VS South Africa-- South Africa Tour of India

vs

M

Second To Bat

Powerplay: 60-80290-310

Second To Bat

Powerplay: 55-75280-300

Win Probability

IND 55%

SA 45%

Disclaimer: The prediction is based on the understanding, analysis, and instinct of the author. While making your prediction, consider the points mentioned and make your own decision.

KL Rahul's Record As IND's ODI Captain

KL Rahul has captained India in 12 ODI matches so far, and under his leadership, the Men in Blue have won 8 matches. In his last assignment as India captain, Rahul led India to a 2-1 win in South Africa.

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Most Wickets In IND-SA ODIs

• Shaun Pollock (South Africa) – 48
• Allan Donald (South Africa) – 46
• Anil Kumble (India) – 46
• Dale Steyn (South Africa) – 34
• Lance Klusener (South Africa) – 31
• Harbhajan Singh (India) – 31
• Jacques Kallis (South Africa) – 31
• Morne Morkel (South Africa) – 28
• Javagal Srinath (India) – 28
• Kuldeep Yadav (India) – 27

Most Runs In IND-SA ODIs

• Sachin Tendulkar (India) – 2001
• Jacques Kallis (South Africa) – 1535
• Virat Kohli (India) – 1504
• Gary Kirsten (South Africa) – 1377
• AB de Villiers (South Africa) – 1357
• Sourav Ganguly (India) – 1313
• Rahul Dravid (India) – 1309
• Mohammad Azharuddin (India) – 1109
• Quinton de Kock (South Africa) – 1077
• Herschelle Gibbs (South Africa) – 1064

All Eyes On RoKo

Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli were on fire for India in the last 50-over match they played against Australia in Sydney on October 25, and there will be high expectations from them today as well.

IND's Last ODI In Ranchi On...

India last played an ODI match in Ranchi on October 9, 2022, and in that fixture, under the leadership of Shikhar Dhawan, they secured a win by seven wickets over the South African team.

Jadeja Back In Squad

Ravindra Jadeja was dropped from India’s ODI squad for the away series in Australia last month, but he is back in the team for the three one-day matches against South Africa in place of Axar

8 Test Players In ODI Team

Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Ravindra Jadeja, Rishabh Pant, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Dhruv Jurel, and Nitish Kumar Reddy are eight players from the Test squad that will feature in the ODI series as well against South Africa.

No Bumrah For The Hosts

Jasprit Bumrah will not feature for India in the ODI series against South Africa. The 31-year-old pacer from Ahmedabad has been rested for the three 50-over matches against the Proteas. In addition to Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj is also not part of the one-day team.

1st ODI For Rohit As World No. 1 Batter

Rohit Sharma will play his first ODI match as the world’s No. 1 batter today. The former India captain, after winning the Player Of The Series award in Australia last month, also became the world No. 1 ODI batter on October 29.

Pant, Tilak and Gaikwad - Contenders For No. 4

Rishabh Pant, Tilak Varma, and Ruturaj Gaikwad are three contenders for the No. 4 batter’s role in the current India ODI squad in the absence of Shreyas Iyer.

KL To Bat No. 6

India’s captain KL Rahul attended the pre-match press conference on Saturday in Ranchi and confirmed that he will bat at No. 6 in the series opener today.

No Stubbs, Rabada For SA

Tristan Stubbs played both the Test matches for South Africa, but he is not part of the ODI squad. Fast bowler Kagiso Rabada, who was part of the Test squad but didn’t feature in any of the two matches due to injury-related issues, is not picked for the three ODIs.

IND-SA Top Performers (Others)

Most dismissals: 42 (40 catches and 2 stumpings) in 33 ODIs by Mark Boucher of South Africa.

Most catches: 23 catches in 31 ODIs by Virat Kohli of India.

Highest partnership: 235 runs for the first wicket between Gary Kirsten (115) and Herschelle Gibbs (111) of South Africa in Kochi on March 9, 2000.

Most matches: 57 ODIs by Sachin Tendulkar of India.

Most matches as captain: 24 ODIs by Hansie Cronje of South Africa.

Most wins as captain: 17 wins by Hansie Cronje of South Africa.