RAIPUR: They say bilateral ODIs are fast losing relevance and context. Try telling that to the Indian fans though who throng the stadiums to see the final acts of two white-ball giants. Hosts India will look to seal the ODI series against South Africa with victory in the second ODI at the Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh Stadium here on Wednesday.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!India lead 1–0 after a 17-run win in Ranchi in front of a packed house. Another sellout crowd of around 60,000 is expected on match day. The series has been elevated by the presence and form of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, known collectively as ‘Ro-Ko’, whose match-winning centuries in India’s last two ODIs have thrilled fans and settled the debate about whether they deserve a spot in the 2027 ODI World Cup in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia in Oct and Nov.
Turning into a ‘six-hitting machine’ for a change, a charged-up Kohli, with Rohit ‘cheering’ his century lustily, blasted seven sixes and 11 fours in his 135 off 120 balls to take India to 349/8 in the opening ODI at Ranchi. With scores of 73, 121 not out and 57 in his last three ODIs, a much leaner Rohit too was in sensational touch and found his timing early.A series win will act as a balm for Indian cricket fans after the soul crushing 2-0 Test series drubbing at home by the Proteas, and it may also boost the morale in a dressing room that is reportedly fractured and tense.Raipur’s big boundaries may offer a contrast to the 681-run feast in Ranchi, but if the pitch turns out to be another ‘road’, as Kuldeep Yadav defined a flat deck during the second Test in Guwahati, India will again depend on pacer Harshit Rana (3-64) and the wrist-spin magic of Kuldeep (4-68), who took seven wickets between them to stop South Africa at 332 in the last game.In Ranchi, Rana’s twin strikes reduced the Proteas to 11/3 in the fifth over while Kuldeep snaffled the key scalps of Matthew Breetzke, Tony de Zorzi and Marco Jansen to stop the South Africans from scripting a heist.In Raipur’s only other ODI, on Jan 21-2023, India, spearheaded by a fabulous spell by Mohammed Shami (3-18 in six overs), bowled New Zealand out for 108 in 34.3 overs, winning by eight wickets with 179 balls remaining. The game was done and dusted after the floodlights came on.Team combination in focusIndia’s batting order in the first ODI raised questions. The decision to play opener Ruturaj Gaikwad at No. 4 and allrounder Washington Sundar at No. 5, while leaving out Rishabh Pant and Tilak Varma, backfired. Gaikwad made 8 off 14 balls before Devald Brevis pouched a sensational catch at point, and Sundar scratched around for 13 off 19 balls and bowled just three overs, raising doubts about his utility to the side.Critics fear that increasing Sundar’s batting workload will trigger a decline in his bowling ability, as they recalled something similar happening with Irfan Pathan during the Greg Chappell era. Sundar batted at No. 3 in the first Test and even on a turning pitch where SA off-spinner Simon Harmer grabbed eight wickets, the Indian offie bowled just one over.Proteas no pushoversSouth Africa showed resilience after suffering a top-order collapse of 11-3, reaching 332 at Ranchi through all-round contributions. Marco Jansen has been the Proteas’ biggest trump card on this tour, following his 93 and six for 48 in the second Test at Guwahati with a 39-ball 70 at Ranchi. Matthew Breetzke (72 off 80 balls) and Corbin Bosch (67 off 51 balls) also showcased the depth of South African batting.India’s T20 WC jersey launch today?Meanwhile, there is a strong likelihood that India’s new T20 World Cup jersey for the 2026 World Cup tournament will be launched during the game.
