South Africa vs India 2018: India's probable playing XI for first ODI

Pacers

The second coming of Bhuvneshwar Kumar has taken everyone by surprise, possibly even the 27-year-old himself. Adding a touch of pace without compromising on his trademark swing, Bhuvneshwar has become one of the most lethal bowlers on the planet.

He was by far India's best bowler in the Test series, picking up six wickets in the first Test and returning in the third to scalp four after being inexplicably dropped for the second game. He also proved to be a thorn in the South African flesh with his improved batting skills, contributing useful lower order runs to swell India's total in both games.

With a woefully out-of-form Quinton de Kock manning the top-order for South Africa, Bhuvneshwar will be itching to begin proceedings at Durban.

Jasprit Bumrah was handed his Test cap in the first game of the series, and he promptly dismissed AB de Villiers to justify his selection. He finished with 14 wickets, proving he is far from a one-trick pony.

In limited-overs cricket, he has improved leaps and bounds over the past year, with his yorker unplayable and action unreadable. Bumrah troubled most of the South African batsmen with his slingy action in the Test series and will be looking for much of the same in the ODI leg as well.

With a character that can be described as volatile at best, the beauty and the beast versions of Mohammed Shami were on full display in the Test series. He ended as India's leading wicket-taker in the series and with conditions likely to aid him at Durban, will get the nod in the first ODI.