 India will South Africa in the first of the three ODIs on Sunday. The game
will be played at the Sawai Man Singh stadium on Jaipur, despite the terror threats
found against the city.
The last time the two sides were involved in an ODI series, it was in 2007,
and the Indians had come back from behind to win it 2-1. Also, before that,
India had lost the series against South Africa in South Africa 0-4, with one
match abandoned due to rain, and tied the ODI series back home under the coaching
of Greg Chappell 2-2.
Click Here to Watch India vs South Africa LiveHowever, things could be a little different this time around. Graeme Smith
has been ruled out of the series due to his finger injury, and will be replaced
by Hashim Amla in the side. Amla had had a great run in the Tests and deserved
a place in the side in the first place. That, he is replacing his captain is
probably justice in the end!
Smith will also be replaced by Jacques Kallis as the captain of the
side. Kallis hasn't had a great time as the captain of the side, and never relished
the role. He was the captain of the South African side which had lost to India
1-2 in Ireland in 2007 and will look to make the best of whatever he can.
The rest of the team has some changes as well, with Johan Botha and Roelof
van der Merwe expected to make it to the side as the two spinners. Botha has
an excellent ODI record and almost played in the Tests, whereas van der Merwe
is a hard-hitting lower order batsman to go with his containing left-arm spin.
India, on their part, will miss Zaheer Khan, Yuvraj Singh, Gautam Gambhir
and Harbhajan Singh, four of their top ODI performers. The first three are injured,
whereas Harbhajan Singh had asked for a leave to attend his sister's wedding.
This means that they will have a relatively inexperienced line-up, led by MS
Dhoni.
Sachin Tendulkar and Virender Sehwag will open the innings, whereas
there will be the likes of Suresh Raina, Yusuf Pathan and Virat Kohli down the
order. Pathan makes his way back to the side after two crunching innings in
the domestic circuit, and he will be a crucial cog in the Indian line-up in
conditions that will suit his style of batting.
Apart from him, the Indians will also have the services of Sreesanth, but what
will be interesting to find out will be the number of spinners India
play. In Bhajji's absence, Amit Mishra could get a chance, or it could very
well be the turn of R. Ashwin to don the blues for the side. Ashwin is an off-spinning
all-rounder who will look to make it count in the turbaned offie.
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