SA vs IND, 3rd ODI: Red-hot India likely to get help from Cape Town surface

With Team India, they are looking primed to get another big boost in their mission as the pitch for the upcoming third One-Day International (ODI) on Wednesday (February 7) is likely to be on the slower side.

Virat Kohli & Co are leading the six-match series 2-0 and a win on Wednesday (February 7) will see them take an unassailable lead which will put them one inch closer to a historic series win in the Rainbow Nation before the culmination of the 50-over format.

With Cape Town, the venue for the upcoming game, being affected by the worst drought in decades, the wicket is likely to worn out. And the sight of Proteas batsmen inviting several slow bowlers in the nets pretty much proves that.

The Proteas called as many as five wrist spinners in the nets ahead of the third ODI in order to prepare themselves to deal with India’s wrist-spinners Yuzvendra Chahal and Kuldeep Yadav.

Both Yuzvendra Chahal and Kuldeep Yadav have run riot in the first two games, picking 13 wickets together to help India win both the games in Durban and Centurion convincingly.

In the first game, Kuldeep picked up three while Chahal picked up a couple as South Africa huffed and puffed to 269 for 8 in the allotted 50 overs despite their skipper Faf du Plessis scoring a magnificent ton.

In the second game, Chahal picked up five for 22 while Kuldeep returned with the figures of three for 22, helping the Men in Blue to skittle out the hosts for a paltry total of 118.

Meanwhile, the in-form Indian team will be keen to continue its winning ways. While the form and momentum would surely make the visitors confident, they will also be buoyed by the absence of some big names in the opposition camp.

South Africa’s talismanic trio of AB de Villiers, Faf du Plessis, and wicketkeeper-batsman Quinton de Kock will not play in the match due to their respective injuries.

Kohli will be desperate to lead the team to a series win in the Proteas conditions and end India’s long wait for a maiden bilateral series win against South Africa in their own backyard.

India had lost 5-2 in 1992-93, 4-0 in 2006-07, 3-2 in 2010-11, and 2-0 in 2013-14.

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