India and South Africa face off in the 2nd ODI on Wednesday (December 3), at the Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Cricket Stadium in Raipur, with the home team aiming to wrap up the series after their thrilling win in Ranchi.
KL Rahul’s side enters confident, boosted by Virat Kohli’s match-winning 135 and Rohit Sharma’s steady 57, which powered India to 349 in the opener.
With a balanced Raipur pitch expected to aid seam early and spin later, India will rely again on rising all-rounder Harshit Rana and wrist-spinner Kuldeep Yadav, whose breakthroughs at key moments helped seal the first match. Rahul’s adaptable No. 6 role continues to give India flexibility and depth.
Meanwhile, South Africa will look to respond strongly after falling just 17 runs short in Ranchi. Their bowlers, including Marco Jansen and Ottniel Baartman, must strike early to challenge India’s top order, while the middle order – anchored by Matthew Breetzke – will need greater stability during the chase.
Raipur Pitch Report
The surface at the Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Cricket Stadium in Raipur for the India vs South Africa 2nd ODI is expected to offer a balanced contest between bat and ball. The fresh grass and firmness early on should aid the seamers, providing swing and seam movement in the opening overs. As the match progresses, the pitch is likely to settle, making stroke-making easier and allowing batsmen to build substantial innings. Spinners could also find some purchase in the middle overs as the surface begins to show signs of wear.
Although the venue has hosted just one ODI game, scoring trends and wicket patterns from the previous match suggest that captain winning the toss may lean towards chasing.
Overall, a competitive encounter is anticipated, where disciplined bowling and well-timed aggressive batting will be crucial. Conditions should favour pace early before gradually easing for batting as the innings unfold.
Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Cricket Stadium ODI Stats and Records
- Total matches: 1
- Matches won batting first: 0
- Matches won bowling first: 1
- Average 1st innings score: 108
- Average 2nd innings score: 111
- Highest total recorded: 111/2 (20.1 Overs) by India vs New Zealand
- Lowest total recorded: 108/10 (34.3 Overs) by New Zealand vs India
- Best bowling: 3/18 (Mohammed Shami)
- Highest individual score: 51 (Rohit Sharma)
Also READ: “I’d be lying if…” – KL Rahul on India’s nervy win over South Africa in Ranchi ODI
