IND vs SA 2022: 3 player battles to watch out for in the 2nd ODI
India and South Africa will lock horns in the second ODI at the JSCA International Stadium Complex in Ranchi on Sunday, October 9. The visitors won the series opener in Lucknow by nine runs, pocketing 10 crucial World Cup Super League points along the way.
With India fielding a second-string unit, there were a few issues that came to the fore in Lucknow. None more so perhaps than the top-order batters' inability to counter the swing and pace of the Proteas' seam attack, with the experienced Shikhar Dhawan also struggling.
Against a full-strength South African outfit, it is a no-brainer that India will have their task cut out to level the series on Sunday. How they counter a few select matchups and win those moments could go a long way in dictating terms.
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On that note, let's take a look at three player battles that could define which way the Ranchi ODI heads.
#1 Shubman Gill vs Kagiso Rabada
Kagiso Rabada had the new ball on the string in Lucknow and accounted for Shubman Gill's wicket in the process. The speedster got the ball to swing and was metronomic on his radar, ensuring that Gill couldn't get away easily.
All of that soon led to an inswinger breaching his defense, orchestrating South Africa's clinical bowling display in the powerplay. Given that Gill hasn't been tested as much against bowling of the quality that Rabada brings, he is bound to be tasked with a challenge again come Sunday.
The lack of footwork was an evident feature with the way Gill and most of the Indian batters struggled in the series opener. Should the ball swing in the powerplay, it ought to make this matchup another game-defining one.
#2 Mohammed Siraj vs Quinton de Kock
After a tough IPL 2022 campaign, it seems like Mohammed Siraj has regained his rhythm and confidence. Following an impressive showing in West Indies and Zimbabwe, the Hyderabad speedster nailed his yorkers in the final T20I against the Proteas in Indore before getting the new ball to swerve around in Lucknow.
Truth be told, he was extremely unlucky not to prize out a wicket or two in the powerplay in the first ODI, having kept the South African openers in check. One of them, namely Quinton de Kock, bided his time before carving out a smooth half-century.
Expect this early battle to ebb and flow when the two come face-to-face. Siraj angling it across the stumps and De Kock's lack of movement on his front foot makes for a tantalizing matchup, one that India will be keen to exploit.
#3 Kuldeep Yadav vs Heinrich Klaasen
Kuldeep Yadav got the ball to spin like a spitting cobra against the South African batters, with the delivery to castle Temba Bavuma being exceptional. Heinrich Klaasen, too, had his fair share of challenges but came up trumps with an assortment of sweep shots.
Klaasen is comfortably the best player of spin bowling in this Proteas setup and boasts a terrific record against India in ODIs, averaging 61.33. The surface in Ranchi could assist the spinners, bringing Kuldeep into the equation again for the hosts. Countering him will therefore remain pivotal to South Africa's hopes of wrapping up the series.
To that end, Klaasen is the de facto X-factor in the visitors' ranks. Not only does he show assurance against spin but also keeps the scoreboard ticking along regularly, meaning that this is as defining a matchup as they come.
Are there any other match-ups that you are looking forward to when India and South Africa lock horns in Ranchi? Let us know in the comments below!