South Africa vs India 2018: India's probable playing XI for fifth ODI

After ensuring that they don't lose out the six-ODI series against South Africa, Team India succumbed to their first loss of the limited overs leg in Johannesburg. The visitors had won the toss at Bullring, decided to bat first and managed to add 289 runs courtesy a Shikhar Dhawan century.

In reply, the Africans, in a rain-curtailed chase were given a target of 202 to chase in 28 overs, which they achieved with a little less than three overs to spare. Repetitive interruptions in play due to rain and lightning didn't let the Indian batsmen get into a proper rhythm and despite a spirited start by Dhawan and Kohli, they didn't manage to cross the 300-mark.

In the fourth ODI, Kohli and the team management had opted to go in with Shreyas Iyer at number five as Kedar Jadhav wasn't match-fit. Let's see how Team India could line up in the fifth ODI at Port Elizabeth, which if they win, the series will be theirs.

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Openers

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Rohit Sharma

Despite his poor run of form which has seen him score just 40 runs in the first four ODI encounter, Rohit Sharma will open the innings for Team India. The fact that he is one of Kohli's most trusted men in the side and there are not many lucrative options for the opener slot in the touring squad makes him an automatic choice in the XI.

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Shikhar Dhawan

The Delhi batsman has hit a purple patch and is in one of the best phases of his career. 271 runs in four matches with a century and two half-centuries, Dhawan is the second highest run-scorer of the series after Kohli and will be a part of the left-right opening pair come Tuesday.

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