IND vs SA: India’s predicted playing XI for 1st ODI

After winning the T20I series against South Africa, team India will now focus to get the job done in the One Day Internationals as well. However, with all the big boys out of the squad, India will look fresh but all charged up as players like Shubman Gill, Shikhar Dhawan and others will be eyeing to seal their spot for the 2023 ODI World Cup.

The first of the three-match ODI series will be played at the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow. Meanwhile, players who’ll be taking a part in the T20 World Cup will be leaving for Perth in the next couple of days in order to play a couple of practice matches against Western Australia.

Let’s look at India’s probable playing XI for the 1st ODI against South Africa:

Openers: Shikhar Dhawan (c) and Shubman Gill

Ever since stepping into the international scene, Shubman Gill has impressed everyone. In the 9 ODIs that the youngster has played so far, he scored a total of 499 runs at an average of 71.28. He is someone who can take responsibility and is known to play match-defining knocks in crunch situations. With more time on the international circuit, the 23-year-old will only get better.

His opening partner Shikhar Dhawan is getting better with age. In his last six ODIs, the southpaw smashed 322 runs and against South Africa, he will aim to keep up with his momentum. Dhawan played 158 ODI matches for India and scored 6647 runs in the process. He will also serve as the captain of the team and thus, there will be extra pressure on the opener.

Middle-order: Shreyas Iyer, Ishan Kishan, Rahul Tripathi, Sanju Samson (wk)

After not getting enough opportunities in the main squad, Shreyas Iyer has been appointed as the vice-captain of the series. In the 30 ODIs that he has played so far, Iyer scored 1108 runs at an average of 42.61. However, he is yet to cement his position in the Indian team. Iyer is one of the stand-by players for the T20 World Cup but will not travel with the squad to Australia at the moment. He is likely to travel after the ODI series. 

A massive opportunity for Ishan Kishan to restore his form and get back into the main squad of the Indian team. Once considered to be the next big wicket-keeper batter for team India, the 24-year-old lost his form and eventually lost his place. However, with all the big boys not being part of the squad, Kishan can play well and fight for a spot in the upcoming ODI World Cup.

The rise of Rahul Tripathi will give confidence to a lot of players who have failed to break it to the national team in their middle or late 20s. The 31-year-old is yet to make his debut for team India in any format of the game and by the looks of it, the South Africa series is going to be his first before any. He is a proven custodian in domestic cricket but international cricket is a different ball game. His performance will be closely monitored and then the team management will take a call on his future in the format.

Like Tripathi, the series is going to be a massive opportunity for Sanju Samson. Even after being in the circuit for a long period of time, the 27-year-old got to play only 7 ODIs for the Indian team. He scored 176 runs in the process but never got enough opportunities to don the Indian Blue. Thus, with an eye on the 2023 ODI World Cup, this could be a make-or-break series for Samson.

All-rounder: Shahbaz Ahmed, Shardul Thakur

Shahbaz Ahmed is another player who is yet to make his international debut in any format of the game. His performance for Bengal and in the Indian Premier League has been pretty impressive and based on that, he earned his maiden national call. However, with Ravindra Jadeja and Axar Patel being a part of the Indian set-up, the 27-year-old didn’t get enough opportunities. However, them not being around this time, Ahmed is likely to start and make a name for himself in the international circuit.

After missing out on the T20 World Cup, Shardul Thakur will aim to cement his position in the ODI squad. Despite being a pacer, he has earned the title of being an all-rounder because of his superb performances with the bat. In the 24 ODIs that he has played so far, the speedster has picked up 36 wickets at an economy of 6.51. With the bat, he scored 224 runs at a strike rate of 119.78 and also scored a half-century against South Africa at Paarl.

Bowlers: Deepak Chahar, Ravi Bishnoi, Mohammad Siraj

The swing specialist is one of the candidates to replace Jasprit Bumrah in the T20 World Cup squad. Thus, it is going to be a very important series for Chahar and can be his last opportunity to make it to the squad. In the 9 One Day internationals that he played, the 30-year-old picked up 15 wickets at an economy of 6.01. 

Ravi Bishnoi’s exclusion from the T20 World Cup squad was one of the most surprising things. Thus, the spinner will have a lot to prove when he takes the field against South Africa. The 22-year-old is yet to make his ODI debut.

Like Deepak Chahar, Mohammad Siraj is one of the candidates who can replace Bumrah in the World Cup squad. Thus, the series is going to be an important one for him. The 28-year-old played 10 ODIs for India and picked up 13 wickets in the process. With the 2023 ODI World Cup in mind, he will look forward to bettering himself and featuring in the squad.

India’s predicted XI for the first ODI: Shikhar Dhawan (C), Shubman Gill, Shreyas Iyer, Ishan Kishan, Rahul Tripathi, Sanju Samson (wk), Shahbaz Ahmed, Shardul Thakur, Deepak Chahar, Ravi Bishnoi, Mohammad Siraj