India Vs South Africa Preview, 2nd ODI: Kohli Form, Rohit Experience Under Spotlight As Hosts Look To Seal Series

The spotlight may be firmly fixed on the chatter surrounding India’s volatile dressing-room environment, but, on the field, the team will once again depend on Virat Kohli’s imperious form and Rohit Sharma’s indomitable presence to push for a series-clinching win over a resilient South Africa in the second ODI on Wednesday.

The clash takes place at the Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh Stadium in Raipur, a venue where India have rarely played in limited-overs internationals.

India hold a 1-0 lead after a tense 17-run victory in Ranchi, a match shaped by Kohli’s record-extending 52nd ODI century and Rohit’s rapid 57. Their dominance at the top helped offset a spirited late fightback from the Proteas, who kept the game alive until the final overs.

India’s Dressing Room Dynamics, World Cup Stakes

With the 2027 ODI World Cup still two years away, both Kohli and Rohit find themselves auditioning every match – not just for form and fitness, but amid reports of growing differences with head coach Gautam Gambhir. The situation has dominated off-field discourse and is widely expected to draw BCCI intervention.

Their recent performances, however, paint a different picture. Having set up two consecutive ODI victories, including a nine-wicket hammering of Australia in Sydney in October, the senior pair have demonstrated their determination to be part of the World Cup squad in South Africa.

Chairman of selectors Ajit Agarkar and Gambhir have remained non-committal regarding their participation in 2027, a stance believed to be fueling simmering tensions within the camp. Yet India’s concerns extend far beyond off-field intrigue.

India’s Combination Under Scrutiny

The playing combination still appears unsettled, despite the win in Ranchi. Ruturaj Gaikwad, impressive in List A cricket, was shifted from the opening slot to No 4 and looked less than fully conditioned for the role.

Stand-in captain KL Rahul remained firm in defending his position at No 6, leaving the middle order looking stretched.

Washington Sundar, often the subject of batting-order experimentation, moved to No 5 in the first ODI. Despite his experience across roles, he was among those dismissed during a phase when India slowed dramatically. His contribution with the ball was similarly light – three overs for 18 runs.

Harshit Rana enhanced his reputation early with two wickets upfront, yet his tendency to leak runs in the latter phase remains an area requiring tighter control, particularly under the ICC’s new ODI rule, which allows only one ball to be used from overs 34 to 50, shifting the balance back towards bowlers.

Kuldeep Yadav, with a match haul of 4/68, delivered crucial breakthroughs. Although slightly expensive, his variations ultimately made the difference, but India were aware that the margin of victory was not large.

Proteas Fightback Offers Warning

South Africa will take significant confidence from their inspired comeback after being reduced to 11/3 on a flat Ranchi pitch. Marco Jansen once again assaulted the Indian attack with a blistering half-century off 26 balls, finishing with a strokeful 70 off 39.

Debutant Matthew Breetzke stood tall with a fine 72, anchoring South Africa’s revival. Their long tail, featuring the dangerous Corbin Bosch, threatened to swing the match away from India.

In the first ODI, South Africa were without regular skipper Temba Bavuma and Keshav Maharaj, both rested following their historic Test series win. The pair are expected to strengthen the squad for the second ODI.

Raipur Venue Conditions And History

The Raipur surface adds another layer of complexity. Much like Guwahati, where India were unfamiliar with pitch behaviour, the Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh Stadium remains a venue of limited exposure.

In the only ODI played here, India eased past New Zealand in January 2023, when Mohammed Shami and Mohammed Siraj produced exceptional seam movement to bowl the visitors out for 108, completing an eight-wicket win with nearly 30 overs to spare.

Even the sole T20I hosted here – against Australia in December 2023 – was not high-scoring, with India defending 174/9 to win by 20 runs. Early assistance for seamers and slower scoring phases have been hallmarks of this ground.

India Vs South Africa, 2nd ODI: Full Squads

India: KL Rahul (c & wk), Ruturaj Gaikwad, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Dhruv Jurel (wk), Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant (wk), Rohit Sharma, Tilak Varma, Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Arshdeep Singh, Harshit Rana, Kuldeep Yadav, Prasidh Krishna.

South Africa: Temba Bavuma (c), Matthew Breetzke, Dewald Brevis, Quinton de Kock (wk), Tony de Zorzi, Rubin Hermann (wk), Aiden Markram, Ryan Rickelton (wk), Corbin Bosch, Marco Jansen, Prenelan Subrayen, Ottneil Baartman, Nandre Burger, Keshav Maharaj, Lungi Ngidi.

(With PTI Inputs)