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The visitors are likely to try and field their strongest attack in what is a must-win series

Firdose Moonda05-Oct-20225:43

What should India’s XI for the first ODI be?

Big pictureThe good news is that this series is not without context. South Africa will be playing for World Cup Super League points. And they are desperate to get them. The better news – for them – is that they are doing it against a second-string Indian side that doesn’t have too much riding on these three matches, and could be ripe for the picking.But the bad news? There isn’t any really, except if you were hoping to see India’s best ODI players on display over the next six days. Oh, and there is a lot of rain around – especially for the first two matches – which could put a dampener on the whole thing.According to the visitors’ opening batter Janneman Malan, they are approaching this series as if they are “in a submarine” to try to block out the distractions caused by Mark Boucher’s imminent departure as head coach, the disappointment over captain Temba Bavuma’s non-purchase at the SA20, and the concerns over his form leading onto the T20 World Cup (more on that later).Related

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Instead of pondering on all that, South Africa are applying a laser-like focus to the task at hand – getting themselves as close as possible to automatic qualification for the ODI World Cup next year, which will be played in India and where they are getting a small taste of the kind action they don’t want to miss out on.Since full-capacity crowds were allowed back into Indian grounds with South Africa’s visit for five T20Is in June earlier this year, the stadiums have been packed with the noise and colour the Covid-19 pandemic robbed us of. It is those people that India’s coach Rahul Dravid – who will not be in charge of the ODI team as he makes an early exit for Australia – told the broadcasters after the third T20I that India have relished playing for. They have had a glut of white-ball home fixtures – which, you could argue, will be lost in the bigger picture – but India coach Dravid recognised the joy it brought to spectators. Context matters, of course, but cricket can also be just cricket.And it is never really just cricket, is it? Indian fans will remember well that the team was swept 3-0 in a bilateral ODI series against South Africa in February this year, and will wonder what kind of response their team is preparing. South Africa may just emerge from the submarine for long enough to remember that was the last ODI series they won, and try to use it as an inspiration for this one.Shikhar Dhawan has three fifties in his last six ODI innings, but his last hundred came in 2019•AFP/Getty ImagesForm guideIndia WWWWW (Last five completed matches, most recent first)
South Africa LWLWLIn the spotlightTemba Bavuma needs runs, and needs them quickly as he gears up for the T20 World Cup on the back of a comeback from injury. Until the T20Is on this tour, Bavuma had not played international cricket since April after missing South Africa’s tour of England with an elbow problem and has had a torrid time since returning.With two ducks and a score of 3 from the T20I series, his form is a major concern; but the longer white-ball format may just give him the opportunity to turn things around. With time to build an innings and little pressure to go full tilt from the first ball, Bavuma can concentrate on both the technique and the tempo of his game, and find some confidence ahead of the World Cup.Shikhar Dhawan’s last ODI hundred came 26 innings ago at the 2019 World Cup. In that time, Rohit (2), Rahul (3) and Kohli (2) have scored seven hundreds between them. Shubman Gill established his white-ball credentials in the series against Zimbabwe and West Indies, scoring three half-centuries and a career-best 130 in his last six ODIs for India. Although more than a year away, the 2023 World Cup will be driving Dhawan, and if he wants to be absolutely sure of a spot, a good time to start piling on the runs is now.Team newsThe anticipation around Royal Challengers Bangalore star Rajat Patidar could come to an end if he makes his international debut in this series, but he is competing with Rahul Tripathi, who has been around the national set-up for the past few months.However, all eyes will still be on Deepak Chahar, who has made a successful comeback from a torn quadriceps, and is on the radar as one of Jasprit Bumrah’s replacements in India’s T20 World Cup squad.India (possible): 1 Shikhar Dhawan (capt), 2 Shubman Gill, 3 Shreyas Iyer, 4 Ishan Kishan, 5 Sanju Samson (wk), 6 Rahul Tripathi/Rajat Patidar, 7 Shardul Thakur, 8 Deepak Chahar, 9 Kuldeep Yadav, 10 Ravi Bishnoi, 11 Mohammed SirajAndile Phehlukwayo could come into contention for the allrounder’s spot•Getty ImagesSouth Africa are not deploying any of their players to Australia for the T20 World Cup early, so will have their full-strength squad at their disposal. Bavuma is expected to be a straight swap for the injured Rassie van der Dussen from the England series, with the rest of the middle order – Aiden Markram, Heinrich Klaasen and David Miller – likely to remain consistent.Andile Phehlukwayo and Marco Jansen, both T20 World Cup squad reserves, could come into contention for the allrounder’s spot, with South Africa likely to try and field their strongest attack in what is a must-win series.South Africa (possible): 1 Quinton de Kock (wk), 2 Janneman Malan, 3 Temba Bavuma, 4 Aiden Markram, 5 Heinrich Klaasen, 6 David Miller, 7 Andile Phehlukwayo/Dwaine Pretorius, 8 Keshav Maharaj, 9 Anrich Nortje/Marco Jansen, 10 Lungi Ngidi, 11 Kagiso RabadaPitch and conditionsNeither team has ever played an ODI at Lucknow’s Ekana Stadium, with the majority of its international fixtures being between Afghanistan and West Indies in 2019. There, in three ODIs, the average first innings score was 230, which suggests the ground may not support quick scoring. However, India have played two T20Is at the ground and put up totals of 195 and 199, which may indicate differently. It has been raining significantly in Lucknow, and showers are expected for most of the day.Stats and trivia South Africa lie in 11th place on the World Cup Super League points table, with four victories and 49 points from 13 games so far. After forfeiting the three-match series in Australia, the maximum number of points available to them from here is 80: 30 vs India, 30 vs England and 20 vs Netherlands.That means if they win all their remaining matches – and have no over-rate violations which result in a points penalty – they will end up on a total of 129 points. England, Australia, Bangladesh and Pakistan already have 120, with six matches left to play. South Africa and India were due to play in Lucknow in March 2020 but the match was cancelled as the Covid-19 pandemic began to impact the world and thus the sport. The stadium has hosted three other ODIs – all between Afghanistan and West Indies in 2019.Quotes”Everyone knows how important the next eight games are for the Proteas in the ODI format. We are trying to maximise the points. The World Cup is in India. It’s nice to get good prep and put in good performances to hopefully join the tournament.”

West Ham are one of the lower-scoring sides in the Premier League this season, scoring 29 goals in 24 games so far.

Graham Potter’s side are averaging 13.8 shots per game which is the ninth highest in the division but have only generated 35.57 expected goals (xG) so far this term, ranking them 15th in the division in this metric.

This shows West Ham are not only creating poorer value shots than other teams, but they are also not finishing at a good enough level to offset that, underperforming their xG by -6.57.

The Hammers have been without a true striker for much of the season, with injuries to Michail Antonio and summer signing, Niclas Füllkrug, leaving much of the pressure on Jarrod Bowen and Mohammed Kudus once again.

Jarrod Bowen's & Mohammed Kudus' amazing partnership at West Ham

Last campaign, Bowen was on fire, making 44 appearances scoring 20 goals, providing ten assists and totaling 2,842 minutes, whilst Kudus made 45 appearances in his debut season, scoring 14 goals, providing six assists and totaling 3,511 minutes played.

Much of the attacking onus fell on the pair, with Bowen making 22 appearances as a centre-forward, showing the Hammers lack of a focal point.

This has carried over into this campaign, but the pair are struggling to have the same impact, providing less output for the side.

This season, Bowen has made 22 appearances scoring seven goals and providing four assists, whilst Kudus has appeared in 22 matches, netting just three times and supplying two assists.

The pair could clearly use a proven centre-forward to ease their pressure, and David Moyes reportedly wanted a certain striker who could have done just that back in 2023.

One that got away

The transfers that nearly happened but never did. This article is part of Football FanCast's One That Got Away series.

West Ham missed out on amazing striker

It’s safe to say that West Ham’s luck in the striker market has been pretty appalling over the last few years.

From the likes of Gianluca Scamacca and Albian Ajeti to Fullkrug in the present day, nothing seems to quite click in the central attacking spot in the team. However, that could have been oh-so different two years ago.

Indeed, in the 2023 summer transfer window, Moyes and West Ham were reportedly very interested in Coventry striker, Viktor Gyokeres, with the manager personally scouting him on several occasions in the EFL.

However, when the 2023 summer window rolled around, Gyokeres made a shock £20m move to Portuguese giants, Sporting.

Since joining the club, the Sweden international has been nothing short of ridiculous having made 85 appearances, scoring 77 goals and providing 22 assists in 6,924 minutes played. The 26-year-old is now on 34 goals in 35 matches this term and is being touted as a £62.5m striker according to Transfermarkt, which would be a pretty sizable profit for Sporting.

Goals

1.20

0.37

0.16

Assists

0.26

0.18

0.11

xG

0.66

0.25

0.28

xAG

0.25

0.24

0.11

Progressive Carries

4.26

3.51

3.51

Progressive Passes

1.76

3.20

2.76

Shots Total

4.42

2.97

2.94

Goals/Shot

0.20

0.11

0.05

Key Passes

2.50

2.01

1.09

Shot-Creating Actions

3.82

4.23

4.02

When comparing Gyokeres’s underlying metrics with both Bowen and Kudus, you can clearly see the extra level of clinical finishing he would have provided.

He has a higher goals/shot ratio than both combined, scoring 1.20 goals per 90 and generating a higher xG per 90 than the Hammers wingers combined.

Gyokeres has been described as a ball-striking “monster” by Ben Mattinson, which has been further proven with his goal-scoring record in Portugal.

This is just one of the 26-year-old’s many elite qualities, including his ability to run the channels and manipulate the ball inside the box.

A front line consisting of Gyokeres, Bowen and Kudus could have been one of the most threatening in the Premier League, especially under Moyes in transition moments, playing in a deeper block and looking to hit teams on the break.

Better than Ferguson: West Ham have already sold an "exceptional" upgrade

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ByConnor Holden Feb 7, 2025

Scott McTominay garnered praise from the Italian media as Napoli edged out Lecce to boost their Serie A title hopes.

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McTominay praised by Italian mediaFans hailed the midfielder's performanceNapoli beat Lecce 1-0 to maintain their leadFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED IN THE MATCH?

The Scottish midfielder started and played the full 90 minutes as Napoli beat Lecce 1-0 courtesy of a goal from Giacomo Raspadori on Saturday. The win helped them to maintain their three-point lead over Inter at the top of the table, as Antonio Conte's side are now edging closer to reclaiming the Serie A title. While McTominay did not contribute with a goal or an assist, he had an impressive outing for his side, which garnered praise from the Italian media.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportHOW DID THE ITALIAN MEDIA RATE MCTOMINAY'S PERFORMANCE?

praised the Scotland international midfielder's "intelligent" performance on the pitch in Napoli's narrow win over Lecce.

in Germany, on the other hand, gave McTominay a 6/10 rating for his performance at Stadio Via del mare.

rated the ex-United 7/10 as they wrote: "The clever move on Raspa's shot – he covers Falcone's view and then drops – is that of an old fox and is worth half a goal. He always comes inside the field, making Kaba and Helgason lose their bearings. The most interesting things often come from his plays, despite the doubling up."

WHAT ARE THE FANS SAYING ON SOCIAL?

Napoli fans wholeheartedly praised the 28-year-old's performance as they hailed the midfielder on social media.

An X handle with the name @victorersantos wrote: "What a great rehearsed play by Napoli. McTominay not only distracts the Lecce goalkeeper, but also reduces his field of vision on the wall."

Guido Olivares declared McTominay as the MVP as the post read: "If we win it, the MVP is McTominay hands down."

A fan named Noorie claimed that McTominay is currently better than English midfielder Jude Bellingham, as he wrote: "Wallahi McTominay is better than Bellingham."

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Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT FOR NAPOLI?

Conte's side will be back in action in the Serie A on May 11 as they take on Genoa at home.

The issue is thought to be a virus or bug rather than food poisoning, as half of England’s playing squad in Pakistan falls ill

Vithushan Ehantharajah30-Nov-2022England and Pakistan officials are in discussions about a possible 24-hour delay to the first Test in Pakistan, after 13 to 14 members of the England squad – including half the 16-man playing pool – were struck down by illness on Wednesday.The issue is thought to be a virus or bug rather than food poisoning, with England taking particular care over what they eat with the help of a chef, Omar Meziane, who has travelled with the team for this tour. However, on Tuesday, some players reported feeling unwell and were told to stay in their rooms to limit the risk of spreading the virus.Ben Stokes, England captain, and James Anderson are understood to be two of those affected. Jack Leach, who lives with Crohn’s disease and takes immunosuppressant medication, which weakens his immune system, is suffering from symptoms but is said to be fine. Joe Root had symptoms on Tuesday but recovered well enough to train on Wednesday. Likewise, Mark Wood, who was already set to miss the first Test through injury, has shown signs of improvement after missing training on Tuesday and being confined to his room.Related

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An ECB spokesperson confirmed that the illnesses were not Covid-19 related, with players experiencing vomiting and diarrhoea. There is a hope the virus passes in 24 hours, though with the first of the three-match series due to begin in Rawalpindi on Thursday, England’s chances of getting off to a strong start have been severely hampered.Root, speaking to the media on Wednesday, acknowledged that discussions were underway about a rearranged start to the match, with officials from the two boards – PCB chairman Ramiz Raja, and the ECB’s Rob Key and Neil Snowball – meeting to consider all options. A final decision is expected to rest with the England team doctors, who are due to assess the players by 8am local time, two hours before the scheduled start of play.With the hours of play already cramped by the fast-setting winter sun, a delayed start to Thursday’s play has already been ruled out. The playing conditions for the World Test Championship require all matches to be staged across a five-day window, therefore ICC dispension will be required if the game is to be rearranged as a four-day Test. However, an ECB spokesperson confirmed that play would not have got underway in the current circumstances.”It is unfortunate we are in this situation, but we don’t think it is food-related,” Root said. “I don’t think there is any correlation between the two and in fact the chef is ill as well, so I don’t think it is the food.”The thing is we have been trying to bring a chef away with us for a couple of years now. This is the first opportunity we have had to do it. Look at all the other international sporting teams around, even Premier League and Championship teams have their own chef, so we think from a nutrition and performance side of things, we are trying to do everything we can to optimise ourselves and be in the right position to perform.”Joe Root talks to media ahead of the First Test in Rawalpindi•Getty ImagesApart from Root, only Zak Crawley, Ollie Pope and Harry Brook of the players named in the starting XI, and Keaton Jennings trained at the ground on Wednesday in a session that was anyway optional before the bug spread. The team named by Stokes on Tuesday, with a debut for Liam Livingstone and a return to the fold for opener Ben Duckett, may now have a very different look.”There’s going to have to be Marcus Trescothick, Rob Key and Brendon McCullum as the new top three for tomorrow,” Root joked. “As far as I’m aware there are a few guys not feeling 100 percent but – I didn’t feel great yesterday but I woke up better today – so hopefully it’s just a 24-hour virus and I don’t think it’s food poisoning or Covid or anything like that.”I think it’s just one of those things that we’ve unfortunately picked up as a group – we’ve tried to do absolutely everything, we’ve prepared really well for this game and sometimes life throws things at you but we’ll do everything we can to be right tomorrow and be right and ready to go.”Asked if he believed everyone will be fit for selection come Thursday morning, Root said: “It’s hard to say, I’ve not seen anyone this morning, we’ve literally got straight on the bus so the guys will do everything we can to be right in that aspect, so time will tell really.”The outbreak has taken place at the Serena Hotel in Islamabad, where both England and Pakistan have been staying along with members of the UK media. England have taken over a wing of the second floor and an executive lounge on the sixth floor, which is operating as their team room. They have not been restricted in their movements around the hotel, beyond being able to leave the heavily-guarded 14-acre complex.

The PCB and ECB are in discussions regarding the commencement of the 1st #PAKvENG Test as some England players are down with viral infection. The PCB continues to monitor the situation, is in contact with the ECB and will provide further updates in due course.

— Pakistan Cricket (@TheRealPCB) November 30, 2022