3 Indian players for whom the South Africa ODIs could be a make-or-break series

Indian selectors recently announced the team for the three-match ODI series in South Africa. KL Rahul was named captain as Rohit Sharma was ruled out due to an injury. Jasprit Burmah, meanwhile, was picked as India's vice-captain for the series. While pacer Mohammed Shami has been rested, all-rounders Axar Patel and Ravindra Jadeja remain unfit and have not been picked.

In-form opener Ruturaj Gaikwad and all-rounder Venkatesh Iyer, who had fantastic IPL 2021 and Vijay Hazare Trophy campaigns, both found a place in the 18-member Indian squad. While Gaikwad was the leading run-getter in the Vijay Hazare Trophy with 603 runs from five games, Iyer scored 379 runs in six games. The latter also chipped in with nine scalps with his medium pace.

The ODI series in South Africa will begin with the first match at Boland Park in Paarl on January 19. While the second game will also be played at the same venue, the series will conclude with the final ODI in Cape Town on January 23.

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Indian cricketers who performance will be under the scanner in South Africa

The ODI series in South Africa will be hugely significant for the careers of a few senior Indian cricketers, keeping the 2023 World Cup in mind. Here’s a lowdown.

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#1 Shikhar Dhawan

Team India opener Shikhar Dhawan. Pic: Getty Images

Ahead of the team selection for the South Africa ODIs, there were question marks over Shikhar Dhawan’s spot. He was dropped from the T20 World Cup squad and was not in great form in the Vijay Hazare Trophy. The 36-year-old managed the highest score of 18 from five games in the domestic 50-over competition.

With Gaikwad and Rahul in great form and Ishan Kishan also among the opening batting contenders, things looked difficult for Dhawan as far as selection was concerned. However, Rohit's absence aided his cause, with the selectors sticking with Dhawan.

To be fair, Dhawan does not deserve excessive scrutiny with regards to his place in the ODI team. He was the leading run-getter for India in one-dayers in 2021, scoring 297 runs in six matches at an average of 59.40 with three fifties. However, following the emergence of youngsters like Gaikwad and his own age factor, Dhawan’s ODI spot could be in trouble if he fails in South Africa.

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#2 Bhuvneshwar Kumar

Team India pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar during the T20 series against New Zealand. Pic: Getty Images

Pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s selection in the one-day squad surprised many. He has been batting multiple injuries and form issues over the last couple of years. He was completely out of sorts in IPL 2021 for Sunrisers Hyderabad. What was particularly shocking was the ease with which he was taken apart at the death.

Bhuvneshwar’s poor run continued in the T20 World Cup as well. He was hammered for 54 runs in a practice encounter and was ineffective in the big clash against Pakistan as well. Bhuvneshwar had one good match against New Zealand in the three-match T20I series at home. He also featured in a couple of games in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, but question marks remain over whether he is ready for the big challenge.

With the likes of Mohammed Siraj, Deepak Chahar and Shardul Thakur in the mix for ODIs, Bhuvneshwar will find it difficult to retain his place in the team unless he comes up with some really good performances. As such, the South Africa series could be hugely significant for him.

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#3 Yuzvendra Chahal

Team India leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal celebrates a wicket during the T20I series against the Kiwis. Pic: Getty Images

Once a regular member of the Indian white-ball squads, leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal has been in and out of the team of late. He was not picked in the T20 World Cup team and, since the start of 2020, he has featured in only six one-dayers. During the Australia tour in 2020, he was hammered for 89 and 71 in the two ODIs that he played.

Chahal gave a better account of himself in Sri Lanka, claiming five wickets in two matches. He had another good IPL season, claiming 18 scalps in 15 matches at an economy rate of 7.05 for Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB). The 31-year-old was also one of the standout performers in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, claiming 14 wickets in five games.

Chahal has fought his way back into the ODI squad on the back of some excellent performances, but it is important that he makes it count. With Ravichandran Ashwin also making a one-day comeback and left-arm spinner Axar Patel set to reclaim his spot once fit, there is a lot of competition for places in India’s spin department heading into the 2023 World Cup.