India Playing XI 1st ODI: Suryakumar & Shreyas fight for No 4 spot – With no Virat Kohli in captaincy role, The Test series is over on a bitter note with favourites India failing to conquer FINAL FRONTIER with a 1-2 loss. But under stand-in captain KL Rahul, India have a chance to salvage pride with an ODI series win. However, KL Rahul and Rahul Dravid will have a selection dilemma, especially for the No 4 spot — Shreyas Iyer or Suryakumar Yadav — while Venkatesh Iyer will make his ODI debut. Follow IND vs SA ODI Series Live Updates on InsideSport.IN.
In the last ODI series with full team present (England series at home), Virat Kohli said that KL Rahul will be the backup opener. As fate would have it, Rahul now calls the shots. But his first act as the stand-in captain will be to pick his opening partner. While Shikhar Dhawan is all set to get the chance, it will mean upsetting Ruturaj Gaikwad, who has shown a rich vein of form. But the second dilemma is for the No 4 spot, yet again. As Shreyas Iyer has made a comeback, the spot that belonged to Suryakumar Yadav is now doubtful.
India Playing XI 1st ODI: Venkatesh Iyer all set for ODI debut, Suryakumar & Shreyas fight for No 4 spot in 1st ODI vs SA – Follow Live Updates
India Playing XI: KL Rahul and Rahul Dravid must answer – three questions:
- Who will open with KL Rahul?
- Who will play at No 4? Shreyas Iyer or Suryakumar Yadav?
- What will be the bowling combination?
India Playing XI 1st ODI: Venkatesh Iyer all set for ODI debut, Suryakumar & Shreyas fight for No 4 spot in 1st ODI vs SA – Follow Live Updates
Who will open with KL Rahul? – Shikhar Dhawan is in the twilight of his career and is all set to retain his place in the opening slot alongside Rahul. But with Virat Kohli back in No 3, it will mean Ruturaj Gaikwad will be benched again and will have to wait for his opportunity. Ishan Kishan is the other top-order batsman who will need to wait.
Shreyas Iyer of Suryakumar Yadav? – In Shreyas Iyer’s injury absence, Suryakumar Yadav made waves, becoming the favourite for No 4 spot due to his flexibility to move up and down in the batting order. However, Iyer is back and his century on Test debut has made him the favourite once again. After not getting any opportunity in the Test series, the team management may give him the nod for No 4 spot for the 1st ODI.
ODI MODE 🔛
We are here at Boland Park to begin prep for the ODIs 👍🏻#TeamIndia | #SAvIND pic.twitter.com/psMVDaNwbc
— BCCI (@BCCI) January 17, 2022
India Playing XI 1st ODI: Venkatesh Iyer all set for ODI debut, Suryakumar & Shreyas fight for No 4 spot in 1st ODI vs SA – Follow Live Updates
Two spinners or four frontline pacers? – In Ravindra Jadeja’s absence, Ravichandran Ashwin is all set to come back to the ODI side after nearly five years. However, the dilemma is over the second spinner slot. As the team management and selectors want to see Venkatesh Iyer bowl more overs, he is likely to make his ODI debut. Venkatesh Iyer’s inclusion will give India a fourth seam-bowling option, opening the door for Yuzvendra Chahal to make a comeback.
Vice-captain Jasprit Bumrah and Bhuvneshwar Kumar are the first two choices for seamers while the third seam option will be a toss-up between Shardul Thakur, Deepak Chahar and Mohammed Siraj. As Jasprit Bumrah declared Siraj is fit, he is likely to get the nod. But he will have competition from Shardul Thakur as well. Prasidh Krishna was a trusted pacer for Kohli and KL Rahul could give his Karnataka teammate a chance as well.
India Playing XI 1st ODI: Venkatesh Iyer all set for ODI debut, Suryakumar & Shreyas fight for No 4 spot in 1st ODI vs SA – Follow Live Updates
India Playing XI vs SA 1st ODI:
1. KL Rahul
2. Shikhar Dhawan
3. Virat Kohli
4. Shreyas Iyer/ Suryakumar Yadav
5. Rishabh Pant (WK)
6. Venkatesh Iyer
7. R Ashwin
8. Bhuvneshwar Kumar
9. Jasprit Bumrah
10. Yuzvendra Chahal
11. Mohammed Siraj/ Deepak Chahar/ Shardul Thakur
India Playing XI 1st ODI: Venkatesh Iyer all set for ODI debut, Suryakumar & Shreyas fight for No 4 spot in 1st ODI vs SA – Follow Live Updates
India ODI Squad: KL Rahul (C), Shikhar Dhawan, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Suryakumar Yadav, Venkatesh Iyer, Ravichandran Ashwin, Rishabh Pant, Ishan Kishan, Yuzvendra Chahal, Jasprit Bumrah, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Deepak Chahar, Prasidh Krishna, Shardul Thakur, Mohammed Siraj, Jayant Yadav, Navdeep Saini.
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