India v South Africa
Thursday 6 October, 09:00
TV: Live on Utsav
Team news
This is an India reserve team as you would expect with the T20 World Cup starting later this month. But there is potential for a mini T20 trial.
With Jasprit Bumrah out of the tournament, Mohammad Siraj and Deepak Chahar could go head-to-head for his spot. Deepak has his nose in front as an official stand-by player.
The likes of Shubmann Gill and Ishan Kishan will hope to impress on the selectors what they are missing after both were left out.
Possible XI: Dhawan, Gill, Gaikwad, Kishan, Shreyas, Samson, Shahbaz, Shardul, Kuldeep, Siraj, Bishnoi
South Africa are not so lucky on having a new set of players to call on. It is bizarre that they have agreed to put their players through a 50-over series before the World Cup,
As a result they will surely to look to protect pace bowlers Lungi Ngidi, Kagiso Rabada and Anrich Nortje. They may play only once apiece. World Cup stand-bys Dwaine Pretorius and Andile Phehlukawayo should play in each of the three games.
But the likes of Tabraiz Shamsi and Keshav Maharaj look likely to play. Temba Bavuma will see the series as opportunity to find form.
Possible XI: Malan, De Kock, Bavuma, Markram, Miller, Klaasen, Pretorius, Phehlukwayo, Maharaj, Ngidi, Shamsi
Pitch report
There have been only three ODI played at Lucknow. All of them were in 2019 between Afghanistan and West Indies. They produced first-innings scores of 249-247-194. It's no study sample to work from in terms of size or variation. The pitch could be slow and tacky - off-pace bowlers dominated - or it could be the weakness of the teams involved. It is far from ideal for betting purposes.
How to play
India are at 1.715/7 for success. We thought they might be shorter. A second-string India have beaten West Indies and Zimbabwe three-zip in each of their last two series.
We're also far from convinced that South Africa will not see this as a massive inconvenience and use the series to experiment and warm-up. Bet the match odds here.
Tops value
Gill has a superb record for India in this format in the last 12 months. He has returned 450 runs in six innings. Sportsbook are likely to go around 7/2 for top India bat.
For South Africa we're keen on Jannie Malan. Malan has seven wins in his last 19, including a 91 against India at the start of the year. He is probably one of only two South Africa batters (Bavuma the other) who will be desperate for a strong show. We expect to get around 7/2.
Keep an eye out for man of the match prices on Ravi Bishnoi and Aiden Markram if the slow surface turns up again. Markram is useful as a sixth bowler and might take a win with an all-round display.