India v South Africa 4th ODI, Preview: Must win game for India to keep the series alive

India v South Africa 4^th ODI, Preview: Must win game for India to keep the series alive: As India and South Africa reached Chennai for the fourth and the decisive match of the 5-match ODI series, they must have been welcomed by the scorching heat and warming love. The people in the city absolutely love the game and the players.

The 4th ODI is probably the most important game in the series thus far, South Africa won the first at Kanpur, then India clutched an unlikely win at Indore, and Morne Morkel ensured his team took lead in the series with the 3^rd ODI. This series has been hard to predict, even tougher to assess for the teams as to what could have possibly changed the outcome for them, since scenarios have changed expeditiously and the momentum hasn’t stayed at one side for long.

India:

The Indian team will probably get the best backing at the Chepauk, since the Indian captain is almost a local lad here; Chennai has been his second home since 2008. Suresh Raina will love to get back to the place he has had enormous success at, and most of the fans will hope Ravichandran Ashwin plays. Sandeep Patil after the announcement of the team for the last two ODIs and the first couple of Tests said he has got a report about Ashwin’s fitness from the team physio and that the off-spinner will undergo a fitness test on the morning of the 4^th ODI.

If Ashwin is fit and plays it will be a huge boost for India, since he knows the wicket better than any other bowler who will play this match. It will also ensure Dhoni has lot more confidence on his bowling. India will once again look to play three spinners and two pacers, since spin is their strength and South African batsmen haven’t looked really comfortable facing the slower bowlers. In all likelihood, Sreenath Arvind will make his ODI debut since he replaces Umesh Yadav in the squad.

While the bowling attack will rely on the spinners to do the job, MS Dhoni would love his top order to fire together. Rohit Sharma has been at his best since the 1^st T20I and has already hit a fifty and a hundred in the three ODIs, his partner Shikhar Dhawan has been the cause of concern. Early damage has hampered India’s plans all throughout and the best possible option is to either drop him or promote Ajinkya Rahane to open along with Rohit.

Virat Kohli’s 77 in the last match batting at his usual No. 3 position will give him lot of confidence coming here, though he should have signed off the game taking India over the line. Another possible change is swapping Suresh Raina with Ambati Rayudu, who will be eager to perform, while Raina has struggled to get his act together.

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South Africa:

By opening with David Miller in the 3rd ODI the South African team management not only gave him a chance to bat without pressure, but also tried to surprise India with the strategy, though it neither fired nor backfired. Miller did contribute better than he had done lower down. But it did upset it for Hashim Amla who has not been at his best either.

Quinton de Kock’s form along with the way Faf du Plessis’ has been batting eases down the pressure on South Africa and the fact that they have someone as versatile as AB de Villiers to finish things off along with Farhaan Behardien who knows how to get the ball to the ropes in the death overs gives a perfect structure to the South African batting order. Though JP Duminy’s injury will force them to change the XI.

Their bowling hasn’t been a genesis of concern and the way Kagiso Rabada and Morne Morkel have tied down the Indian batsmen helps Dale Steyn pass along despite the fact that he hasn’t delivered against what was expected. Imran Tahir has done well; he has not only managed the run flow but also got crucial breakthroughs when they were least likely.

Chennai will give South Africa a chance to take an unassailable lead in the series and clinch the ODI cup. At the same time, India would want to win this one to keep the series alive and adjourn the final hearing till the last game at Mumbai.

Last 5 encounters –

India– LWLWW
South Africa – WLWWL

Pitch

The Chepauk pitch is usually slow and gets slower as the game progresses. With sun beating down hard, the first half should be the best time to bat, while batting second won’t be as bad either. Spinners will have an effective role to play; the seamers too can come into the game if they vary their pace and deceive the batsmen by rolling their fingers over.

Stats and facts

21 – The India v South Africa 4^th ODI, will be the 21^st One-Day International to be played at Chepauk.

337 – The highest team total scored at the ground is 337/7 by the Asian Cricket Council XI v African XI in 2007.

194 – Saeed Anwar scored his highest individual score and the then record score in Chennai during the Pepsi Independence Cup 1996/97. It stands as the record individual score at the ground.

139 – For India MS Dhoni has the highest score at the ground; he scored 139* for Asian Cricket Council XI.

218 – The record for the highest partnership score at the stadium is registered with Mahela Jayawardene and MS Dhoni who stitched together 218 runs while playing for ACC XI.

125 – This is the highest partnership score for India at Chepauk. MS Dhoni and R Ashwin had an unbeaten partnership of 125 against Pakistan in 2012.

11 – Teams batting first have won 11 matches in Chennai.

7- Teams chasing the total have been successful on 7 occasions.

240/8 – Is the average 1^st innings score at Chepauk.

218 – Indian opener Rohit Sharma is the leading run-scorer in the series with 218 runs. He is followed by Faf du Plessis and MS Dhoni who have 173 and 170 runs respectively.

7 – South African pacer Morne Morkel has dismissed 7 batsmen so far in the series and has the most wickets. Imran Tahir and Axar Patel run behind him with 5 and 4 wickets respectively.

• Last time India played an ODI in Chennai was in December, 2012 against Pakistan.
• India scored 227 in that match and Pakistan chased it down with 6 wickets in hand.

Probable XI

India:

Rohit Sharma, Ajinkya Rahane, Virat Kohli, Shikhar Dhawan, MS Dhoni, Ambati Rayudu, Ravichandran Ashwin (subject to fitness)/ Harbhajan Singh, Axar Patel, Amit Mishra, Sreenath Arvind, Mohit Sharma.

South Africa:

David Miller, Quinton de Kock, Hashim Amla, Faf du Plessis, Dean Elgar, AB de Villiers, Farhaan Behardien, Imran Tahir, Kagiso Rabada, Morne Morkel, Dale Steyn.