India Vs South Africa: Here's the Probable India XI for 2nd ODI in Centurion

Centurion, Feb 3: Having taken a lead in the series with an easy win in the opening game, Team India would be eager to convert it into 2-0 when come out to face South Africa in the second ODI here on Sunday (February 4).

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The Men In Blue must be upbeat with their all-round effort in the first game in Durban as they outplayed the Proteas in every department.

Skipper Virat Kohli, who slammed another fine century while chasing, would have told the team to be at their clinical best in the second game as well, scheduled to be held in Centurion.

Team India played the second Test match at the same venue and despite the pitch being too 'sub-continent like' the tourists failed terribly with the bat and lost that game.

Kohli and his boys learnt from their mistakes and came back strongly in the third and final Test and registered a memorable overseas win under tough conditions. The win in the third Test boosted the morale of the Indian side as they played well in the first ODI and outclassed their opponents.

The visitors performed well as a unit and the skipper would be looking to repeat the same playing eleven against the Proteas, who are going to miss the services of their skipper Faf du Plessis. Du Plessis, who fractured his finger in the previous game, has been ruled out of the remainder of the ODI series and will not feature in the T20I series against India as well.

Du Plessis' absence would hurt the side and it could be another positive for the Indians as the Protea was the highest scorer from his side in the first ODI. He notched up a composed century in the first ODI and took his team to a decent total.

Aiden Markram will be leading the side in Du Plessis' absence and the Indian bowlers should take it as another opportunity to wreak havoc.

Here's the probable India XI for the 2nd ODI:

1. Rohit Sharma

The right-handed batsman and team's vice-captain started things pretty well in the first ODI and gave India a decent start. Rohit scored just 20 in the first match before getting dismissed after hitting a top-edge.

The Mumbaikar looked good as he was hitting the ball well in his short stay at the crease. The cricketer and his team would be hoping to come out strongly in the second ODI.

2. Shikhar Dhawan

One has to feel bad about the southpaw for the way he was dismissed in the first ODI. Dhawan was looking ominous in the first match as he was batting brilliantly on 35 when a mix-up cost him his wicket in a run-out.

Dhawan certainly missed out on a brilliant fifty and who knows he could have converted it to a century. The left-handed opener would once again be opening the innings for India and skipper Kohli must be eyeing another good start from him.

3. Virat Kohli

The captain charismatic has once again proved he's one of the best batsmen in the limited overs format with yet another classy ton in the first ODI.

Kohli notched up his career's 33rd ODI ton and 20th while chasing to rightly live up to the tag of 'Chase Master'. He scored 112 in the first ODI but by the time he was dismissed India were already on the cusp of victory.

Playing his first ODI after a gap of three months, Kohli started from where he left in the third Test. The captain charismatic will once again be leading the side from the front in the ODI series.

4. Ajinkya Rahane

The Mumbaikar was the biggest positives for the visitors in the first ODI. There were questions whether Rahane would get a spot in the Playing XI in the first ODI before the start of the match. But to everyone's delight, Rahane featured in the first ODI and that meant he was team's No. 4 batsman.

Rahane once again capitalised upon the opportunity at hand and smashed his fifth consecutive ODI fifty. His innings of 86-ball 79 and record 189-run-partnership with Kohli ensured India put up a comprehensive win. With that knock, Rahane has cemented his position in the side for the remainder of the series.

5. Kedar Jadhav

The diminutive middle-order batsman will be back into the side after recovering from injury. Jadhav is a capable batsman and also a wicket-taking part-time bowler and the skipper will once again take his services in the middle overs, just like in the first ODI.

Jadhav, however, didn't get chance to bat in the first ODI as the top order had done the job for the visitors.

6. MS Dhoni (WK)

The veteran cricketer will once again do his job as the man who guides the skipper Kohli and the bowlers with his valuable inputs.

The stump mic, during first ODI, caught him giving vital advice to the bowlers particularly the spinners who proved to be India's biggest asset in the game.

Dhoni's presence and experience would bring in the much-needed stability for the side.

7. Hardik Pandya

The all-rounder will be present in the middle-order in the second game as well and will be utilised as a floating batsman.

Pandya looked out of form in the remainder of the Test series after that 93-run knock in the first Test.

The Baroda all-rounder must be hoping to improve his performance in the limited-overs with bat and ball.

8. Bhuvneshwar Kumar

The speedster has been in ominous form across all formats and he will definitely feature in India's ODI squad.

Bhuvneshwar has been team's best new ball bowler and a brilliant death-overs' specialist. He was, however, very costly in the first game but he knows how to make a comeback.

The UP cricketer has also proven his mettle with the bat and team might rely upon his batting skills in times of need too.

9. Yuzvendra Chahal

The wrist spinner was once again at his impressive best in the first ODI against South Africa. Chahal was introduced by the skipper in the 11th over of the first match and immediately put Proteas in trouble.

He was very effective from the very first over and took the wicket of Quinton de Kock in his first spell.

Chahal returned with 2/45 from his quota of 10 overs.

10. Kuldeep Yadav

The young Chinaman was the pick of the bowlers for India in the previous game. Kuldeep was very lethal and economical at the same time and it was his wrist spin that kept Protea batsmen in trouble.

He along with his spin-twin Chahal proved out to be too hot for the hosts to handle. He returned with 3/34 in the first ODI and his captain would be hoping to repeat similar performance.

11. Jasprit Bumrah

The young speedster was one of the positives for India in the Test series as he constantly improved with every game.

The 24-year-old Gujarat cricketer bagged his maiden five-wicket haul in Tests in only his third Test match and certainly, there are more to come. Bumrah, who is Team India's biggest weapon in the limited overs, didn't disappoint his skipper again by getting the first breakthrough in Hashim Amla.

He will be making it to the Playing XI in the second ODI and his good form will be very crucial for team's win.

Story first published: Saturday, February 3, 2018, 21:56 [IST]

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