In the first ODI match against Team India, South Africa`s stand-in skipper Aiden Markram has won the toss and elected to bowl first at the JSCA International Stadium Complex in Jharkhand.
South Africa`s captain, Temba Bavuma, along with star spinner Keshav Maharaj, have been rested for the match.
After winning the toss, the Proteas` skipper Markram said that the side would be bowling first, considering that there was a bit of dew on the surface, which would make it easier to bat later in the match.
“We’ll be bowling first. We’ve spent the last couple of evenings training here and noticed quite a bit of dew, which makes batting easier later on, so that’s the reason behind the decision. The vibe in the dressing room is really good. We’ve got a few new faces, but everyone’s upbeat, energetic, and ready to go. Hopefully, we can start the day well,” he said.
He also said that there`s ample time left for the ODI World Cup 2027 and the series will serve as an opportunity for his men.
“The World Cup is ultimately what we’re building towards. There’s still some time, but playing against one of the world’s top sides gives us a great chance to measure ourselves. It’s something we’re genuinely excited about — a fantastic opportunity for the group. For this match, we’ve picked just one frontline spinner in Subrayen, with me offering support. Keshav and Temba have been rested, and we’re going with four seamers,” added Markram.
On the other hand, the hosts` captain, KL Rahul, said even he would have also bowled first.
“We would’ve chosen to bowl as well. As Aiden mentioned, when we trained here a couple of nights back, there was plenty of dew, and that’s the only reason we would’ve preferred to bowl first,” he said.
“Our preparation has been solid. The atmosphere in the dressing room is really positive. We’ve got a few players returning, and considering we haven’t played much ODI cricket lately, everyone is genuinely excited to be back in this format. The boys are eager to push themselves, get back into rhythm, and enjoy their time out in the middle. That’s essentially been the message within the group,” said the 33-year-old cricketer.
IND vs SA 1st ODI: Playing XI
India: Rohit Sharma, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Washington Sundar, KL Rahul (C), Ravindra Jadeja, Harshit Rana, Kuldeep Yadav, Arshdeep Singh, Prasidh Krishna.
South Africa: Aiden Markram (C), Ryan Rickelton, Quinton de Kock, Matthew Breetzke, Tony de Zorzi, Dewald Brevis, Marco Jansen, Corbin Bosch, Prenelan Subrayen, Nandre Burger, Ottneil Baartman.
