India v South Africa, 2nd ODI, Indore October 13, 2015

India under pressure to regain lost ground

Match facts

Wednesday, October 14, 2015
Start time 1330 local (0800 GMT)

Play 03:52
Agarkar: India's biggest worry would be Ashwin's fitness

Big picture

If there is a place for India to get their groove back after falling behind early against South Africa, Indore's Holkar Stadium is it. They have won all three ODIs played at the venue, which has not seen international cricket since 2011.

The South African visit threatens to very quickly go downhill for India after they lost the T20 series and the first ODI. They have also lost their premier spinner and the only bowler who really troubled the South Africa batsmen, R Ashwin, to a side strain and have to find both the motivation and the right men to get things back on track.

The captain, MS Dhoni, has to be one of those men especially because, so far, his tactics have been questioned. Dhoni's use of his bowlers have, at times, given South Africa's batsmen a free passage, and he will have to be attacking and aggressive if he wants his team to draw level.

Dhoni need look no further than the opposition camp to see how to do that. South Africa are batting with intent and bowling with energy and the results are falling in their favour. They'll be careful not to think that means nothing can go wrong because, they know that as soon as they get too comfortable, they will likely pay the consequences.

Form guide

(last five completed games, most recent first)
India LWWWW
South Africa WWLWL

In the spotlight

Stuart Binny had to bowl more than expected in Kanpur because of the injury to Ashwin and bat at the end of the innings to try and win the game, and he did not do well at either. He was expensive with the ball and although he did a decent job of handing the strike back to his captain, he got out to the same shot Dhoni did to end India's challenge. He will want to show he is better than that performance.

If David Miller keeps his place in the South Africa XI, it may be his last chance to prove he deserves to stay there longer. Miller has gone 12 innings without an ODI half-century and failed to score more than 15 in four of his last six innings. The only thing keeping Miller in the side at the moment is that there is no obvious replacement but with Rilee Rossouw recovering from injury and Khaya Zondo waiting in the wings, Miller's rope is growing shorter. Apart from waning confidence, his technique needs boosting with his stance and approach to spin both under scrutiny.

Team news

With Ashwin suffering a side strain in Kanpur, Harbhajan Singh is likely to play alongside Amit Mishra in the spin role. India may also look at changing the personnel in the pace department; Mohit Sharma could come in for Bhuvneshwar Kumar.

India (probable) 1 Rohit Sharma, 2 Shikhar Dhawan, 3 Ajinkya Rahane, 4 Virat Kohli, 5 MS Dhoni (capt & wk), 6 Suresh Raina, 7 Stuart Binny, 8 Harbhajan Singh, 9 Amit Mishra, 10 Bhuvneshwar Kumar/Mohit Sharma, 11 Umesh Yadav

There is only one question that needs answering for South Africa and that is what to do with Miller. If Faf du Plessis, who left the field with a twisted knee in Kanpur, fails his fitness test, Miller will be safe. If du Plessis is given the green light to play, South Africa may consider handing a debut to Zondo or install Chris Morris at No. 7 to provide an extra seam-bowling option.

South Africa: (probable) 1 Quinton de Kock (wk), 2 Hashim Amla, 3 Faf du Plessis, 4 AB de Villiers (capt), 5 JP Duminy, 6 Farhaan Behardien, 7 David Miller/Chris Morris, 8 Dale Steyn, 9 Morne Morkel, 10 Kagiso Rabada, 11 Imran Tahir

Pitch and conditions

Runs have been promised by the Holkar Stadium's groundsman Samunder Singh Chauhan, and we have reason to believe him. Apart from the small ground and short straight boundaries, the statistics reveal a glut. Five of the six innings played at this ground have been 250-plus, including one of over 400, by India against West Indies in December 2011. Indore's weather will be as hot as Kanpur's with temperatures set to reach 37 degrees but will drop to the mid 20s at night.

Stats and trivia

  • MS Dhoni's average against South Africa of 27.30 is his lowest against any ODI team. He has scored 546 runs against them from 23 innings
  • Imran Tahir has risen to third on the ODI wicket-takers' list for 2015. His 32 wickets put him four behind Trent Boult and nine behind Mitchell Starc

Firdose Moonda is ESPNcricinfo's South Africa correspondent

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