Time has flown by and it’s hard to believe the 2019 ICC World Cup is only 15 months away.
For India, the second-ranked ODI side in the world behind South Africa (by only just one point in the ICC rankings), this six-match 50-over series against the Proteas, starting on Thursday at Kingsmead, is a crucial building block to the tournament which takes place in England next year.
The tourists have a real chance of usurping their opponents in the standings come the end of the clashes and continuing the momentum from their 63-run Test win at the Wanderers Stadium – a result which salvaged plenty of pride despite the 2-1 series loss.
The Men in Blue have shown signs they have gradually adapted to testing seaming, pacey and bouncing South African wickets. The conditions in the one-dayers will also be similar to what they will face at the World Cup next year, and if you also factor in the one-day matches India will play when they tour England later this summer, then their preparation is as good as it gets.
It should help the country’s selectors get an early feel of how they see the ODI looking next year, who has thrived in conditions away from India and what work still needs to be done. That said, it is worth reminding though that India did reach the 2017 ICC Champions Trophy final, held in England – proof that there is plenty to work with.
Despite winning their past eight ODI series, India have never won a bilateral 50-over series in South Africa and will be keen to extract revenge from a 3-2 one-day lost to South Africa on home soil back in the 2015-16 season.
But, with a firing Virat Kohli in their ranks, anything is possible. The skipper has been in irresistible form in the format for a long while now and is the best in the world.
If he fires, as he did throughout 2017 when he notched 1,460 runs at an average of 76.84 from 26 ODI matches, then India will be in the ascendancy.
Rohit Sharma, despite a poor Test series, is also a man who could also be the difference-maker for India given the hosts are without the injured AB de Villiers for the first three matches.
