India eyeing first series victory in South Africa in 5th odi

Port Elizabeth, 12 Feb (CRICKETNMORE): Failing to maintain their triumphant run after a defeat in the fourth One-Day International (ODI), India will aim to clinch their maiden bilateral 50-overs series against the Proteas in South African conditions in the fifth

Equally well complimented bowling department, led by the wrist spinning pair of Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal, who have been difficult to be picked up by South Africa throughout the series, will continue to be the lethal weapons for India. 

However, for South Africa wicket-keeper batsman Heinrich Klaasen, who played his first match of the series and assured them a comprehensive victory in the rain-curtailed encounter in Johannesburg, had looked to tackle the Indian wrist spinners well.

Batsmen Hashim Amla, Jean-Paul Duminy, AB de Villiers and David Miller, who can win their side a match single-handedly on a given day, might also look to come hard on the formidable Indian side, with nothing to loose.

In the bowling, all eyes will be on pacers Kagiso Rabada and Lungisani Ngidi to provide their side with flurry of wickets at the St George's Park.

However, the weather department has forecast rain to hit the city and it may affect the team composition.

Squad:

India: Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli (captain), Shikhar Dhawan, Mahendra Singh Dhoni (wk), Ajinkya Rahane, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Shreyas Iyer, Hardik Pandya, Dinesh Karthik, Manish Pandey, Kedar Jadhav, Mohammed Shami, Shardul Thakur, Axar Patel. 

South Africa: Aiden Markram (captain), Jean-Paul Duminy, Hashim Amla, AB de Villiers, Morne Morkel, David Miller, Chris Morris, Kagiso Rabada, Andile Phehlukwayo, Lungisani Ngidi, Heinrich Klaasen (wk), Imran Tahir, Farhaan Behardien, Khaya Zondo, Tabraiz Shamsi.