South Africa captain Aiden Markram won the all-important toss and elected to field against India in the 3rd ODI at Boland Park in Paarl on December 21. The hosts went in with the same playing XI that featured in the previous match. India made two changes to their playing XI. Rajat Patidar made his ODI debut for the Men in Blue and replaced Ruturaj Gaikwad while Washington Sundar was included in place of Kuldeep Yadav.
India Playing XI: Sanju Samson, Sai Sudharsan, Rajat Patidar, Tilak Varma, KL Rahul(w/c), Rinku Singh, Washington Sundar, Axar Patel, Arshdeep Singh, Avesh Khan, Mukesh Kumar
South Africa Playing XI: Reeza Hendricks, Tony de Zorzi, Rassie van der Dussen, Aiden Markram(c), Heinrich Klaasen(w), David Miller, Wiaan Mulder, Keshav Maharaj, Nandre Burger, Lizaad Williams, Beuran Hendricks
The current ODI series between India and South Africa is poised at an intriguing juncture with both teams sharing honours, as India clinched the opening match in Johannesburg while South Africa made a remarkable comeback in the second ODI at Gqeberha.
As the series heads into a decisive phase, both teams are navigating the challenge of playing without their mainstays. Prominent players such as Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Jasprit Bumrah from India, and Kagiso Rabada from South Africa are gearing up for an impending Test series, creating space for emerging talents to step up. This scenario offers a unique platform for young players, guided by the leadership of KL Rahul for India and Aiden Markram for South Africa, to demonstrate their capabilities on the international stage.
The stakes are particularly high for India, as they aim to replicate their 2018 ODI series triumph in South Africa, which was led by Virat Kohli. Their last encounter in 2022, captained by Rahul, ended in a 3-0 defeat, adding a layer of motivation for the team to seek redemption and clinch a series victory in the upcoming decider. This match not only presents an opportunity for a series win but also serves as a crucial moment for new players to make their mark and for the team to build momentum ahead of future challenges.
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