18 January, 2011

India vs South Africa 3rd ODI: Preview


After leveling the series 1-1 at Johannesburg, injury-hit team India will take on South Africa in the 3rd ODI at Newlands in Cape Town on Tuesday.

After ouster of iconic Indian batsman Sachin Tendulkar due to hamstring injury, the young-looking India will have daunting task ahead to take lead in the five-match ODI series.
India’s three regular openers, Sachin, Sehwag and Gambhir, have already returned home due to injuries and now Dhoni will have to rely on inexperienced and makeshift openers.
For Dhoni, failure of top order in the first two ODIs is biggest worrying factor and absence of Tendulkar has weakened the batting line up.

However, the young guns of India are plenty of talents but they have failed before the bouncy track of South Africa. Suresh Raina, Rohit Sharma and even Dhoni have failed to perform as per their caliber.

It is expected that Murali Vijay will open Indian innings along with Virat Kohli. Yuvraj’s role in the middle order will be pivotal. Yusuf Pathan is likely to make in final XI after Sachin’s ouster.
In the 2nd ODI, India snatched thrilling victory by 1 run but just because of bowlers, especially Man of the Match Munaf Patel’s effort.

In the 3rd ODI, India is not favourite but it is not less than a suicide to predict in a cricket match.
At Newlands, once again Indian bowlers will have to play the crucial role as it is expected that the pitch will support bowlers.
In case of India bats in second innings, bowlers will have to provide early jolts to Proteas and restrict locals to score big total on board. In the spin department, Harbhajan Singh and part-timers are very much affective in checking the run flow.
Virat Kohli and Yuvraj Singh have scored a fifty each so far and India need one of these youngsters to play a big knock today if the visitors hope of taking lead.

Lack of a good start has also put pressure on the middle order and India's problems have just compounded with Tendulkar's absence and India skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni knows the importance of Yuvraj in that situation.

"His (Yuvraj's) role in the batting lineup is crucial. If we get good start then he can come and score quick runs and if we lose few wickets then he can control the game with a solid innings. He played very well in the match.

"It is important that Yuvraj gets into good form. He is now a decent all-rounder for us as he also bowls a few overs," Dhoni said.

Diminutive wicket-keeper Parthiv Patel has been sent as Tendulkar's replacement and it will be a big challenge for the left-hander to do the tough opening job in trying conditions, if he gets a chance on Tuesday.

It's time that Murali Vijay scores some runs to show his worth in the short format. He got into the side due to absence of both Sehwag and Gambhir but has not capitalised.

South African batsmen, specially the top-order, are in terrific form and an encore of the Johannesburg performance would be difficult for the Indian bowlers.

Hashim Amla, AB de Villiers, JP Duminy are in good touch and captain Graeme Smith himself has struck form after a listless show in the drawn Test series.

It would require a really disciplined effort from Indian bowlers to nail the Proteas batsmen at home conditions.

Then India will also have to contend with the Proteas pace battery led by ferocious Dale Steyn.

The teams (from):

India: Mahendra Singh Dhoni (captain/keeper), Sachin Tendulkar, Murali Vijay, Yuvraj Singh, R Ashwin, Piyush Chawla, Harbhajan Singh, Zaheer Khan, Virat Kohli, Praveen Kumar, Ashish Nehra, Munaf Patel, Yusuf Pathan, Suresh Raina, Rohit Sharma, S Sreesanth.

South Africa: Graeme Smith (captain), Hashim Amla, Johan Botha, AB de Villiers (wicketkeeper), Jean-Paul Duminy, Faf du Plessis, Imran Tahir, Colin Ingram, David Miller, Morne Morkel, Wayne Parnell, Robin Peterson, Dale Steyn, Lonwabo Tsotsobe.

The 3rd ODI between Ind vs SA will start at 18.00 hrs (IST).

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