IND vs SA ODI: India's Predicted Playing XI For The First ODI

Post the ongoing Test series, India and South Africa will lock horns in an ODI series. The ODI series will comprise three matches. IND vs SA 1st ODI is scheduled to take place on January 19 at Boland Park in Paarl. While South Africa has named a 17-man squad for the ODI series, India has announced an 18-man squad.

South Africa will be led by Temba Bavuma. KL Rahul will captain the Indian side in the absence of regular skipper Rohit Sharma. The latter was named as the new ODI skipper ahead of India’s tour of South Africa 2021, however, couldn’t make it to the series due to fitness issues. In this listicle, we talk about India’s predicted playing XI for IND vs SA 1st ODI.

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IND vs SA ODI: India’s Predicted Playing XI For The First ODI

KL Rahul (C)

KL Rahul is named captain of the side in the absence of Rohit Sharma and will lead the team in the first ODI. The right-handed batsman will also play as an opener which is his regular position nowadays. KL Rahul is in an amazing batting form currently. In IND vs SA 1st Test in Centurion, he slammed a marvellous century.

Shikhar Dhawan

Shikhar Dhawan might be the other opener in the match. In the absence of regular opener Rohit Sharma, Dhawan will be a good choice to open the innings. The left-handed batsman has a lot of experience in batting as an opener. The left-handed batsman executed a brilliant batting performance during IPL 2021. Also, the 36-year-old was the highest run-scorer of the team during his last ODI series against Sri Lanka in July 2021.

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Virat Kohli

Virat Kohli will bat at the no.3 spot in IND vs SA 1st ODI. This will be the first ODI in recent years where he will not play as a captain of the side. Kohli last played an ODI series against England in March 2021 where he slammed 2 fifties in 3 games, scoring 129 runs at an average of 43.0.

Suryakumar Yadav

Suryakumar Yadav might bat at the middle-order in the IND vs SA 1st ODI match. With his consistent performance last year, Yadav has risen up as a trustworthy middle-order batsman. The right-handed batsman last played a T20I series against New Zealand in November 2021, where he slammed a 62-run knock in one game. Yadav also starred during the ODI series against Sri Lanka in July 2021, where he scored 124 runs in 3 games at an average of 62.0.

Shreyas Iyer

Shreyas Iyer might be another batsman at the middle-order. The right-handed batsman recently made his Test debut against New Zealand in November, where a smacked a century and fifty to clinch the player of the match award. Iyer is a regular player in the national side in limited-overs format for the last 3 years. With his ongoing excellent form, the team might pick him in the playing XI in IND vs SA 1st ODI.

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Rishabh Pant (WK)

For the wicketkeeper, the team might go with Rishabh Pant. The left-handed batsman is part of the ongoing Test series. Pant has done a great job behind the stumps in recent times. Moreover, he is an aggressive batsman with the ability to play quickfire knocks. He performed brilliantly in his last T20I series against New Zealand when played 2 unbeaten knocks in three games.

Ravichandran Ashwin

Ravichandran Ashwin might be the all-rounder and full-time spinner in IND vs SA 1st ODI. The right-handed batsman recently scored a crucial 46-run knock in the 2nd Test against South Africa. The right-arm spinner has played all the recent series for the national side and showing good form. In his last T20I series against New Zealand, Ashwin scalped 3 wickets in 2 games at an average of 14.0.

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Shardul Thakur

Shardul Thakur might be another bowling all-rounder who might be part of India’s 1st ODI against South Africa. The right-arm pacer impressed with his 7-wicket haul in the recent 2nd Test against South Africa. Moreover, he also played a crucial cameo of 28 runs in the 2nd innings of the match. Thakur is a powerful tailender batsman along with his ability to pace bowling, which makes him a good choice of an all-rounder.

Deepak Chahar

Deepak Chahar might be another pacer in the team. Since Mohammed Shami is not part of the ODI squad and Mohammed Siraj suffered an injury in the IND vs SA 2nd Test, it is quite possible that the team will go ahead with Deepak Chahar in the opening ODI. The right-arm pacer last played against New Zealand in T20I series, where he scalped 3 wickets in 3 games.

Jasprit Bumrah

Jasprit Bumrah will be another pacer for the team in IND vs SA 1st ODI. Bumrah has been named as the vice-captain of the team during the ODI series. The right-arm pacer is in brilliant form, accounting for 6 wickets in 2 Tests so far in the ongoing series. In the absence of Mohammed Shami, Bumrah will have more responsibility on his shoulders.

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Bhuvneshwar Kumar

Bhuvneshwar Kumar will be another pacer that Team India might go with during the 1st ODI. Bhuvneshwar Kumar is always a regular member of the limited-overs series. The right-arm pacer was also part of the three-match T20I series against New Zealand, where he hunted 3 wickets in 3 matches at an average of 25.0.

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