2023 World Cup: Predicting 3 players who could pick up the most wickets in today’s India vs South Africa match ft. Jasprit Bumrah
Today in the 2023 World Cup, it's not only a top-of-the-table clash between India and South Africa. It's a match between two of the most high-quality bowling attacks, fine-tuned to adapt to most grounds and balanced to the tilt.
It's no surprise that India and South Africa have blown away the opposition with their bowling. They have new ball bowlers of consistency who constantly hit the stumps, middle-overs operators who never leave the hard lengths, and spinners who masterfully use pace, variation, and angles to excellent effect.
When such teams clash together, you need more than just a journalistic eye to predict who could take the most wickets in the match.
So, below, there are embedded four tables with overall and tournament-specific data of players. We have used that and more to pick the most threatening bowlers to watch out for.
3 players who could pick up the most wickets today
#3 Lungi Ngidi
Eden Gardens has curiously been a fast bowler's dream in the 2023 World Cup. In both matches in Kolkata so far, the pitch has been slow but pacers have managed to pick up more wickets than spinners.
If the surface remains true to its nature we might see more of it. South African quick Lungi Ngidi has had a middling World Cup so far. But the Men in Blue are one of his favorite opponents in ODIs. In nine matches against India, he has taken 17 wickets, including a career-best of 4/51, at an average of 25.53.
He has had success against Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill, KL Rahul, and Shreyas Iyer in the past. Ngidi has also been South Africa's best death bowler this World Cup and that's a phase where India have either struggled or have gone through untested. There are good signs for the right-arm quick to get a haul today.
#2 Kuldeep Yadav
India would find it very difficult to blow away South Africa's top order like they did with their previous three opponents. Despite the pitch conditions, if they have to win, they'll need their lead left-arm wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav's contribution.
Kuldeep hasn't got to bowl much of late but his rhythm has remained untouched. With his pace and variations, he has been quite difficult to read. The bounce at the Eden Gardens, once his former home, might suit him as well. He already has six wickets from two previous ODIs here at an average of 17.50.
Like Ngidi against India, Kuldeep has a great record against South Africa - 24 wickets in 10 matches at 16.17 and a career-best strike rate of 20.54. Kuldeep also has brilliant match-ups against the entire South African middle and lower-middle order, which is also the Proteas' slightly weaker compartment.
#1 Jasprit Bumrah
Now, this is a man who doesn't need positive match-ups, conditions, good historical records or even form to perform on a given day. He's just that good.
But today, he happens to have all of that. Jasprit Bumrah, the owner of the second-best average (14.60) of the tournament so far, has more favorable match-ups in the South African team than any other bowler.
He has 17 wickets from 11 ODIs at 21.59 against the Proteas. Rassie van der Dussen hasn't gotten out against him yet but among the rest of the specialist South African batters, no one averages more than 32.5 against him.
He's India's best bet to take early wickets in the powerplay and an even better weapon in the middle overs. Even a hint of seam movement would make him 2x the bowler he is and it would take a freakishly unlucky day or an outstanding bowling display from South Africa to keep him from taking wickets today.