Will Captain Rahul Shake Up the XI? Big Changes Likely for 3rd ODI vs South Africa

Visakhapatnam: The three-match ODI series between India and South Africa is level at 1–1. Now the third and final match will be held on Saturday in Visakhapatnam (ACA-VDCA Stadium), which is like “do or die” for both the teams. In the domestic clash, there is confidence that India will forget the problem of dew and win the last match and win the series. 

Team India's probable playing-11: Will the strategy change?

Many cricket experts believe that India will probably make changes in its final eleven. The probable playing-11 may include Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Ruturaj Gaikwad, KL Rahul (captain and wicketkeeper), Rishabh Pant, Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Harshit Rana, and Arshdeep Singh—and there may be some changes in the bowling and middle order. Some reports say that Tilak Varma or Nitish Reddy may get a chance in place of Yashasvi Jaiswal so that both the middle order and the bowling department become balanced. 

Expectations on Kohli-Rohit and challenge of young players

Kohli played stormy shots in both the last matches—despite a brilliant innings in Ranchi and a century in Raipur, the team had to face defeat. Now he will have to give momentum to the team again amidst the challenges of the Visakhapatnam pitch and dew. There will also be pressure on young batsmen—like Jaiswal; if he gets a chance, he will be expected to give a strong start. If there is a change in the middle order, then Tilak Verma or Nitish Reddy will have to show their ability. 

Bowling will be very important

In the second match, India's bowling performance was weak in the middle and last overs, due to which the target of 358 runs was easily chased. This time the team management will have to pay special attention to the bowling combination. A balanced pair of spin-magic and pacer will have to be decided.

Pitch, weather and toss—factors that can turn the match

The pitch at Visakhapatnam is generally considered favorable for batsmen. But at the same time, late evening dew creates problems for the bowlers—especially the spinners. Therefore, winning the toss and batting first is considered a favorite for both the teams. If India bats first, then it can create pressure by scoring 350. At the same time, if South Africa wins the toss and bowls first, it will be easy to get out in dew. 

What could be the decision of the match?

In this match, it will be expected from India that the way the Kohli-Rohit pair is in form, they will do something big and help the team win. On the other hand, the strategy of combining young players and the bowling department can be decisive. If the team management picks the right playing 11 and the decision to bat or bowl first after winning the toss is taken correctly, then India has a real chance of winning the series.