Raipur, December 2. Amidst rumors regarding the atmosphere in the dressing room, India's hopes of winning the second ODI against South Africa on Wednesday and sealing the series will largely depend on the magnificent form of Virat Kohli and the commanding presence of Rohit Sharma. India defeated South Africa by 17 runs in the first match held in Ranchi, powered by Kohli's 52nd ODI century and an aggressive 57-run knock by Rohit.
With the ODI World Cup 2027 still two years away, every match serves as a platform for Kohli and Rohit to prove their fitness and form, though the issue of reported growing differences with Head Coach Gautam Gambhir remains a significant talking point. As per agency report, amidst the speculations surrounding this matter, it appears that the BCCI may need to intervene at some stage. The duo has strengthened their claim for the World Cup in South Africa, having been the architects of India's victories in the last two ODIs, including a nine-wicket win over Australia in Sydney in October where Rohit performed brilliantly. The silence from Selection Committee Head Ajit Agarkar and Gambhir regarding the participation of these two veterans in the World Cup could be a potential reason for the underlying tension.
Despite winning the first match, concerns remain for the Indian team regarding their middle order and bowling execution. Ruturaj Gaikwad, who performed effectively in List A cricket, was sent in at number four but did not appear ready for the role, while stand-in captain KL Rahul batted at number six. Washington Sundar, who has become accustomed to experiments in the batting order, was sent in at number five after batting at number three in the Kolkata Test against South Africa, but he failed to play a substantial innings and bowled only three overs conceding 18 runs. In the pace department, Harshit Rana took two wickets with the new ball but conceded many runs later, an area requiring control especially under the new ICC rule where only one of the two available balls can be used between the 34th and 50th overs. Kuldeep Yadav claimed four wickets for 68 runs, proving expensive but effective with his variations which ultimately halted South Africa's comeback attempt.
South Africa had lost three wickets for just 11 runs in the previous encounter before staging a remarkable recovery, with Marco Jansen scoring 70 off 39 balls and Matthew Breetzke scoring 72 runs in his first ODI against India. The visiting team played the first ODI without captain Temba Bavuma and spinner Keshav Maharaj, who were rested, but their return is expected to strengthen the squad for the upcoming match. The Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh Stadium has hosted only one ODI previously in January 2023, where Indian pacers utilized the seam movement to bowl out New Zealand for 108 runs, leading to an eight-wicket victory. The match is scheduled to begin at 1:30 PM.
