IND vs SA, 2nd ODI | Five Player Battles to Watch Out For

The Indian bowlers were all over the Proteas in the first ODI. (AP)

After facing a defeat at the hands of the new-look Indian team, South Africa will be determined to bounce back in the second ODI, aiming to keep the three-match series alive in Gqeberha on December 19. Despite winning the toss and opting to bat on a slightly challenging pitch, South Africa witnessed a disappointing collapse, recording their lowest ODI total at home and struggling to put up a fight.

With several new faces in the lineup, the batting order appeared vulnerable, and even though they have depth in the lower order, including Andile Phehlukwayo, who emerged as the top run-scorer in the previous match, it's unlikely that the batting order will see immediate changes after one poor performance.

The Indian pacers, Arshdeep Singh and Avesh Khan, were brilliant as they collectively secured nine wickets, with the former claiming five. However, India will miss the services of Shreyas Iyer for the rest of the series, opening the door for Rajat Patidar to potentially make his ODI debut.

So, before these teams take on each other, here are the five player battles to watch out for. 

Arshdeep Singh vs Reeza Hendricks

Arshdeep Singh registered a fifer in Jo'burg [AP]

Arshdeep played a pivotal role in shaping the game for India with the new ball after losing the toss and being forced to bowl first. Securing his first five-wicket haul in international cricket, the left-arm pacer skillfully swung the ball, capitalizing on the favourable conditions. 

Among the five wickets claimed by Arshdeep, the first victim was Reeza Hendricks. Despite Hendricks' recent good form with the bat, he succumbed to an incoming delivery from Arshdeep, revealing vulnerability against the left-arm pace. 

Reeza has shown signs of struggling against left-arm pacers and will be under a bit of pressure as, once again, he will have to overcome the new ball challenge posed by Arshdeep.

KL Rahul vs Keshav Maharaj

Keshav Maharaj in action [AP]

Before the start of the series, Rahul made it clear that he would be occupying the middle-order position in the series, potentially facing the majority of overs against the Proteas spinners. 

Although Maharaj may not experience as much turn from the pitch as he did in India during the 2023 World Cup, he rightfully holds the top spot in the ODI rankings among bowlers. With his variations and ability to extract extra bounce from the surface, Maharaj can prove to be a challenging opponent. 

It will be intriguing to observe how Rahul navigates Maharaj's skills while maintaining India's middle-over tempo. In terms of their head-to-head record, Rahul has the upper hand, having not been dismissed by Maharaj in ODIs, with the South African bowler managing to dismiss Rahul only once across formats.

David Miller vs Avesh Khan

Avesh Khan took 4 wickets in first ODI [AP]

Much like Arshdeep, Avesh Khan was at his absolute best with the ball. Although he didn't have the luxury of bowling with the brand-new KK ball, he still did exceedingly well to register his best ODI figures. 

Brought in as the first change bowler, Avesh complemented the other two pacers well. Out of his four wickets, one was the experienced David Miller. In the absence of senior batters like Temba Bavuma and retired Quinton de Kock, the onus lies on experienced players like Miller to stand up and deliver for his team. 

Unfortunately for South Africa, he failed to score big as Avesh bounced him out by hitting the hard length. Miller has to be cautious against Avesh in the next game. Whenever Miller comes to bat, it is expected that KL Rahul will bring Avesh from one end.

Ruturaj Gaikwad vs Nandre Burger

Ruturaj Gaikwad was dismissed cheaply in 1st ODI [AP]

Gaikwad couldn't make any sort of impact with the bat in the last game. He struggled to get going before eventually being dismissed for 5. But one inning doesn't define how Ruturaj has played in the last few months. 

Ruturaj has been sensational with the bat. He recently scored his first international hundred, which speaks volumes of his ability. After failing in the first ODI, Gaikwad will look to register a substantial score in the second ODI. 

Nandre Burger, who made his debut in the last game, will look to unsettle him early in the innings, as Mulder did in the last game. The left-arm pacer has a happy knack for picking early wickets, and he will look to get Ruturaj out early in his innings.

Aiden Markram vs Kuldeep Yadav

Aiden Markram [AP]

Kuldeep could bowl only 15 balls in the first ODI; such was the effect of the fast bowlers. Still, the chinaman bowler bagged a wicket. Ever since his comeback game, Kuldeep has been a force to reckon with. He has added new weapons to his arsenal, which makes him even more dangerous now. 

The left-arm wrist spinner will be looking to make a big impact if the Proteas batters survive the Indian pace attack. Among many batters on Kuldeep's radar, one surely will be Aiden Markram. 

The Proteas skipper fell to Avesh Khan in the last game as he couldn't score big for his team. Markram's record against Kuldeep in ODIs is poor. Kuldeep has dismissed Markram three times in 40 balls, whereas the Proteas batter is yet to score a boundary against the Indian spinner.