When India plays South Africa in the opening ODI of the three-match series in Ranchi on Sunday, they will try to solve a number of unresolved selection issues. Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli will return to the starting lineup for a brief audition that may determine their fate in the 2027 World Cup.
With only six ODIs planned for India over the next two months—three against the Proteas and three at home against New Zealand in January—Rohit and Kohli now only play in one international format. The stakes have rarely been higher for two of the greatest players of modern Indian cricket.
Their prospects for the 2027 ODI World Cup may be directly impacted by how well they do in these matches. It starts a high-stakes audition that might either prolong two iconic careers or bring them closer to an inevitable twilight, even though it might not guarantee their 2027 World Cup futures.
In 2013, Rohit was first backed as a full-time opener at this particular JSCA Stadium. It was a pivotal occasion that changed not only his white-ball career but also India’s 50-over outlook for years.
The 37-year-old returns to Ranchi more than ten years later, hoping for a different kind of comeback as India tries to rebuild after losing the home Test series.
The T20 World Cup at home next year, which will inevitably determine selection preferences, casts a shadow on India’s ODI series. Gautam Gambhir, the head coach, is also under scrutiny going into this series, but his employment is unaffected because his contract is valid until the 2027 World Cup.
After the Test defeats, which was his second significant loss since becoming coach, his tactical decisions and team choices were questioned. Gambhir has a significant chance to stabilize the narrative and demonstrate clarity in India’s white-ball agenda throughout this ODI series.
Gambhir would be eager to restore stability and show direction in India’s white-ball strategy, even though the ODIs might not be his top priority given the upcoming home T20 World Cup.
The South Africa games will be used by the management to try new positions, expand the pool of players, and find cross-format players who can provide consistency for both white-ball teams. With a number of experienced players absent, India’s starting eleven is still far from complete in this series as well.
While usual captain Shubman Gill and Shreyas Iyer are recovering from injuries, Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj have been rested. In addition to weakening the lineup, their absence makes Gambhir and stand-in captain KL Rahul balance different duties and responsibilities.
Even more delicate is the middle-order puzzle. The management must choose between supporting the hard-hitting Nitish Kumar Reddy or the spin-bowling all-rounder Washington Sundar.
With longer runs, the more collected Tilak Varma could also be relied upon. If captain Rahul continues to take wickets, it is also unclear if Rishabh Pant would be able to join the playing eleven. The coaching team is eager to use these games to assess fringe players, build cross-format depth, and keep senior pros’ rhythm without overtaxing them.
India’s strategy must be practical: in Bumrah’s absence, employ the bowling unit, which is composed of Prasidh Krishna, Arshdeep Singh, Harshit Rana, and Kuldeep Yadav, to evaluate death-overs combinations, let the seniors regain rhythm, and give up-and-coming batters extended runs.
After winning the Test series, South Africa will enter the series confident and eager to maintain the momentum in a format where its transition group has frequently failed. The visitors are optimistic that the confidence they have earned in red-ball cricket may translate into white-ball sharpness in conditions that will once again test their versatility, even though pace leaders Kagiso Rabada and Anrich Nortje are sidelined.
The ODI leg presents an opportunity for captain Temba Bavuma to bolster South Africa’s advancements in 50-overs cricket. While left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj will once again be crucial to South Africa’s middle-overs control on surfaces predicted to slow down, the lack of senior quicks allows players like Gerald Coetzee and Nandre Burger to take on responsibility in Indian conditions.
With Quinton de Kock’s expertise at the top, Bavuma’s anchoring position, and Matthew Breetzke, Dewald Brevis, and Tony de Zorzi’s exciting middle-order presence, the batting unit has a stable appearance. The Proteas will hope that their familiarity with the tour and their improved calmness under pressure will help them dictate terms against the hosts now that the Test victory is fresh in the system.
Squads:
India: KL Rahul (captain), Rohit Sharma, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, Tilak Varma, Rishabh Pant, Washington Sundar, Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Harshit Rana, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Prasidh Krishna, Arshdeep Singh, Dhruv Jurel
South Africa: Temba Bavuma (captain), Aiden Markram, Dewald Brevis, Nandre Burger, Quinton de Kock, Marco Jansen, Tony de Zorzi, Rubin Hermann, Ottneil Baartman, Corbin Bosch, Matthew Breetzke, Keshav Maharaj, Lungi Ngidi, Ryan Rickelton, Prenelan Subrayen
