With the ODI series locked at 2-2, tomorrow’s match in the Wankhade Stadium in Mumbai looks more like the final of an important tournament than just another One Day International. The South Africa series began badly for India, having lost the T20 series and then the first match of the ODI series quite easily, but after the win in Indore and then in Chennai, the Indian campaign is back on track.
It hasn’t been easy at all – in fact, the Indians have probably never had a tougher opposition at home. This makes even a single win over South Africa worth ten times as much as a similar win over lesser opponents. Already, the four-match test series that follows soon after the ODI series seems to be a mouthwatering prospect.
What happens in the Wankhade Stadium tomorrow will set the mood. A win for South Africa would give them a head start going into the Test series, and a win for India would makes things more even in the Tests that are to follow.
It does seem that the momentum is with India as we go into the final match of the series as they had comfortably won the last match at Chennai and have, after many changes to the line-up, finally found a team that can be confident with, one they believe to be good enough to beat the mighty South Africans.
Both India and South Africa are led by the most respected cricketers on the planet. The match in Mumbai is as much a clash between the two captains as it is a battle for supremacy between the two proud cricketing nations.
MS Dhoni was written off by many following the early losses in the series, but he won the match at Indore single-handedly for his team and has since never looked back. We are once again seeing the Dhoni of old, perhaps the greatest match winner Indian cricket has produced after the great Sachin Tendulkar.
AB de Villiers, is of course, the #1 cricketer on the planet right now. There simply cannot be a sportsman who is more talented than de Villiers. And yet it is just amazing how down to earth he always seems to be and how humble.
No wonder he is such a favorite with crowds all over the world. Indeed, AB is just as popular in India as any of the top Indian players. His popularity knows no national boundaries. The man is a credit to his sport.
The scoring in the last 10 overs for both sides has been quite slow, and Dhoni has put it to the new rules which allow for a fifth fielder outside the circle in the slog overs. As Dhoni explains, “Now as we are seeing in the 40th to 50th [overs], it’s not easy just to go in and slam the big shots and get 80-90 runs. You’ll see most of the sides saying, ‘Last 10, if you are chasing, you shouldn’t have more than 65 runs or 70 runs’. That also you have to have a good day.”
“On a slower wicket, it’s not easy to play the big shots and these are the bigger outfields. And that scuffed up ball, it doesn’t come off the wicket so when you dig in short you have to play the big shot and it’s not easy to always clear the boundary. So with the new rule changes, with that extra fielder outside, the batters who come after especially the 40th over, straight away if they are supposed to go in and play the big shot they’ll find it difficult.”
Coming to the team news, S Aravind could take Mohit Sharma’s spot in the Indian team and Ambati Rayadu might be given a go in place of the misfiring Shikhar Dhawan.
For South Africa, fast bowler Morne Morkel is unlikely to play because of an injury. Allrounder Chris Morris and second spinner Aaron Phangiso are expected to be given an opportunity to show what they are made of in this critical match.
The Teams
India: 1 Rohit Sharma, 2 Shikhar Dhawan, 3 Ajinkya Rahane, 4 Virat Kohli, 5 MS Dhoni (capt & wk), 6 Suresh Raina, 7 Axar Patel, 8 Harbhajan Singh, 9 Amit Mishra, 10 Bhuvneshwar Kumar, 11 Mohit Sharma/S Aravind
South Africa: 1 Quinton de Kock (wk), 2 Hashim Amla, 3 Faf du Plessis, 4 AB de Villiers (capt), 5 Farhaan Behardien, 6 Dean Elgar/David Miller, 7 Chris Morris, 8 Dale Steyn, 9 Morne Morkel/Aaron Phangiso, 10 Kagiso Rabada, 11 Imran Tahir
Match Conditions
The Wankhade pitch has always been known to assist spinners, and we expect more of the same tomorrow. Mumbai has not received any rain for months and so we expect all 100 overs to be bowled. It’s going to be hot and humid tomorrow.
Watch India play South Africa in the final match of the ODI series tomorrow at 1:30 PM live on Star Sports.
