India vs South Africa 2022: 1st ODI Predicted Playing 11 for Both

Shikhar Dhawan to lead as we look at the strongest predicted playing 11 for both teams the 2022 India vs South Africa ODI Series. 

After a disappointing Asia Cup 2022, Team India have returned with a bang. The two consecutive T20 series vs Australia and South Africa have seen India win handsomely. The bilateral series has always been Team India’s strength. But the upcoming ODI series vs South Africa promises to be a more competitive affair.

The competition is even more intense as a String B Indian team shall be playing a full-strength South African team. The B team of India might have won the last two ODI series vs West Indies and Zimbabwe. But the South Africa series promises to be a tougher contest as they would be up some of the best bowlers and batters in the business. 

The 3-match ODI series begins on October 6th with the final match being played on October 11. With the official squad just revealed recently, let’s look at the strongest predicted playing 11 for the 2022 India vs South Africa ODI series. Before that, let’s look at the official squad and key ODI stats. 

India vs South Africa 2022: Official ODI Series Squad List for Team India

Batters: Rahul Tripathi, Rajat Patidar, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Shikhar Dhawan, Shreyas Iyer & Shubman Gill 

Wks: Ishan Kishan & Sanju Samson

All-rounders: Shahbaz Ahmed

Bowlers: Avesh Khan, Deepak Chahar, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj, Mukesh Kumar, Ravi Bishnoi & Shardul Thakur 

Captain: Shikhar Dhawan // Vice-captain: Shreyas Iyer

Match Details:

Tournament: South Africa Tour of India 2022 

Type: ODI Series – 1st ODI 

Where: Lucknow 

When: Oct 6, 1:30 pm IST

India vs South Africa Key ODI Stats 

Matches Played: 87 // India Won: 35 // South Africa Won: 49 // NR: 3

Batting:

2001 – Most Runs by Sachin Tendulkar 

63.3 – Highest Batting Average by Quinton de Kock (Min 500 Runs)

111.1 – Highest Strike Rate by Ab de Villiers (Min 500 Runs)

219 – Most Fours hit by Sachin Tendulkar 

41 – Most Sixes hit by Ab de Villiers

200*(147) – Highest Score by Sachin Tendulkar 

203.4 // 59*(29) –  Highest Strike Rate in an Innings by JP Duminy (Min 50 Runs)

Bowling:

48 – Most Wickets by Shaun Pollock

15.7 – Best Bowling Average by Kuldeep Yadav (Min 15 Wickets)

3.3 – Lowest Economy Petrus Stephanus de Villiers (Min 15 Wickets)

20.3 – Best Bowling Strike Rate by Kuldeep Yadav (Min 15 Wickets)

5/6 – Best Bowling Figures by Sunil Joshi

0.6 // (10-6-6-5) – Best Economy Rate in an Innings by Sunil Joshi

Others:

57 – Most Matches Played by Sachin Tendulkar 

1535 Runs 31 Wickets – Best All-rounder Stats by Jack Kallis

438/4 – Highest Team Total by South Africa

91/10 – Lowest Team Total by India

42 – Most Dismissals by Mark Boucher 

23 – Most Catches by Virat Kohli 

235 (1st Wicket) – Highest Partnership between Hershell Gibbs & Gary Kirsten 

Team India’s Playing 11

Team India’s playing 11 selection for the ODI series vs South Africa will most probably be inspired by the Zimbabwe ODI series. We should see the same opening combination of Shikhar Dhawan and Shubman Gill having done tremendously well as openers. We should also see Ishan Kishan and Sanju Samson in the middle-order as seen in the previous series. 

With Shreyas Iyer back in the squad and KL Rahul not there, the number 3 spot should see him playing. Barring these 5 batters, India will face a huge dilemma whether to play 6 batters and 5 bowlers or whether to play 5 batters, 1 all-rounder and 5 bowlers who can bat a bit. 

Before we address this issue, let’s discuss the first-choice bowlers for the ODI series. India will most probably play the standbys for T20 World Cup 2022 as it will give them good match practice. So, Deepak Chahar, Avesh Khan, and Ravi Bishnoi are sure shot starters. Mohammed Siraj is also supposedly a first-choice pacer. So, he should play too. 

Now, coming to the final 2 players, India can either play an extra batter like Rajat Patidar or Rahul Tripathi at 6 and Shahbaz Ahmed at 7. Or they can play Shahbaz Ahmed at 6, Deepak Chahar at 7, and Shardul Thakur at 8. It would be a very interesting selection dilemma for India.

Ideally, India would not risk playing only 5 batters vs a strong bowling line-up of South Africa. So, expect Rahul Tripathi to make his debut as a finisher with Shahbaz Ahmed at 7. Unfortunately, Shardul will have to wait for his turn. Apart from the above, India can also think of playing Kuldeep Yadav ahead of Ravi Bishnoi, if seniority is considered. 

India vs South Africa 2022 – ODI Series Strongest  Predicted Playing 11 for Team India: 

Shikhar Dhawan (C), Shubman Gill, Shreyas Iyer, Ishan Kishan, Sanju Samson (WK), Rahul Tripathi, Shahbaz Ahmed, Deepak Chahar, Avesh Khan, Ravi Bishnoi, Mohammed Siraj 

For South Africa, Reeza Hendricks is a like-for-like replacement for Rille Rossouw from the T20 squad. Apart from that, South Africa will be forced to play all-rounder Dwayne Pretorius in preparation for T20 World Cup 2022. With him batting at 6, Wayne Parnell and Keshav Maharaj can act as good support batters. 

India vs South Africa 2022 – ODI Series Strongest Predicted Playing 11 for South Africa

Temba Bavuma (C), Quinton de Kock (WK), Reeza Hendriks, Aiden Markram, David Miller, Dwaine Pretorius, Wayne Parnell, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Anrich Nortje & Tabraiz Shamsi 

So, that’s about the strongest predicted playing 11 for the 2022 India vs South Africa ODI Series. India would be a bowler or a batter short. It would be a tough ask for Shikhar Dhawan and his team to compete against a full-strength South African side.  

Thanks for reading! What’s your playing 11 for Team India for the 2022 ODI series vs South Africa? Please email your comments to business@cricalytics.com

---

ALSO READ: T20 World Cup 2022: Best Predicted Playing 11 for India – No Jasprit Bumrah

---

© AK4Tsay1 Cricalytics