Gqeberha: As the night wears on, India will go into bed, hoping to claim the three-match ODI series when they take on South Africa in a day-nighter on Tuesday on a surface akin to the sub-continent.
Only 8 ODIs have been played here in the last 12 years, and never did any side put a 300 runs total due to the sluggish nature of the surface here.
This condition suits India best, and it only boosts their confidence even further, especially when they are leading the series 1-0, having thrashed the hosts in the series opener at the Wanderers in Johannesburg on Sunday.
India might play Rajat Patidar as a replacement to Shreyas Iyer who is joining the Test team. The promising lad is a specialist No.4 batsman like Iyer and stands a better chance to play instead of Rinku Singh who is a dasher.
But Rinku could also make the cut, considering his impressive performances in the international matches so far. There is much at stake for newbie Sai Sudarshan to excel further after belting a magnificent fifty on debut in the ODI opener in the company of half-centurian Shreyas Iyer.
South Africa too might like to take advantage of the prevailing condition and play both their spinners Keshav Maharaj and Tabraiz Shamsi. They would also want Reeza Hendricks to deliver, and surely the promising opener would like to make an impression after losing out in the last ODI and T20I before it against India.
India Squad: Ruturaj Gaikwad, Sai Sudharsan, Tilak Varma, Rinku Singh, KL Rahul(w/c), Sanju Samson, Axar Patel, Arshdeep Singh, Avesh Khan, Kuldeep Yadav, Mukesh Kumar, Yuzvendra Chahal, Rajat Patidar, Washington Sundar, Akash Deep
South Africa Squad: Reeza Hendricks, Tony de Zorzi, Rassie van der Dussen, Aiden Markram(c), Heinrich Klaasen(w), David Miller, Wiaan Mulder, Andile Phehlukwayo, Keshav Maharaj, Nandre Burger, Tabraiz Shamsi, Lizaad Williams, Kyle Verreynne, Ottniel Baartman, Mihlali Mpongwana. (UNI)