LIVE: SA opts to bowl against unchanged India; Ngidi, Klaasen make ODI debuts

Live scorecard, Ind vs SA, 3rd ODI, Cape Town

Rabada strikes in first over

Rabada said South Africa are still in the series and he has walked the talk in the very first over of the thrid ODI. Pitches it up after softening up Rohit with a couple of bouncers. Rohit stays rooted to the crase and could not get the bat away in time, the ball touches the inside half of Rohit's bat and the debutant Klaasen grabs his first catch in international cricket. IND: 0/1

IND XI for 3rd ODI (UNCHANGED): RG Sharma, S Dhawan, V Kohli, A Rahane, MS Dhoni, K Jadhav, H Pandya, B Kumar, K Yadav, J Bumrah, Y Chahal

SA XI for 3rd ODI: H Amla, A Markram, H Klaasen (DEBUT), JP Duminy, D Miller, K Zondo , C Morris, A Phehlukwayo, K Rabada, L Ngidi (DEBUT), I Tahir.

Virat Kohli, the Indian captain, reckons that they were looking to bat first, as they wanted to change things up and see how they turn up. States that the wicket looks nice and hard, apart from expecting some assistance with the ball later. Says that they will look to make early inroads and put pressure on the opposition middle order, which is already under pressure. Asserts that wrist spinners are a usable commodity on any surface. Mentions about not letting go of the momentum that they have with them. Ends saying that they go in unchanged.

Aiden Markram, the South African skipper, reckons that although India chase well, their decision is based on using the conditions on offer. Adds that he expects the ball to do its bit initially. States that the guys have been working hard and it isn't fair to look too deep and put pressure upon themselves due to one collapse. Informs that there are two debutants in Heinrich Klaasen and Lungi Ngidi. The former will take the gloves in place of de Kock and the latter replaces Morne Morkel, he adds. Further adds that Andile Phehlukwayo comes in for Tabraiz Shamsi.

TOSS: South Africa captain Aiden Markram wins the toss and opts to field first, perhaps keeping in mind India's superb chasing record.

Hello and welcome to the live coverage of the third ODI between India and South Africa at the picturesque Newlands, Cape Town. The odds are heavily in favour of the visitors, who are aiming a 3-0 lead and a lot will depend on the toss, specially with Newlands' record of assisting the seamers under lights.

The Preview

India will have their sights set on an unprecedented 3-0 lead when they take on a South African team, which has quite literally fallen apart due to injury blows, in the third ODI of the six-match series in Cape Town.

The visitors won the first two matches of the series in Durban and Centurion by six and nine wickets, respectively, dismantling the home side with consummate ease. Twice previously, India have managed to win two ODIs in a bilateral series in South Africa -- in 1992-93 and in 2010-11. In the latter instance, the visitors shot into a 2-1 lead, only to lose the five-match series 3-2 in the end. They had also lost 5-2 in the other instance.

But given the hosts' current travails, history repeating itself would be a major disaster for the Men in Blue. This is because the Proteas are beset with injury problems. AB de Villiers was ruled out before the first ODI, Faf du Plessis before the second (both suffered finger injuries).

And the list has only grown with Quinton de Kock (left wrist injury) ruled out before the third ODI. Cricket South Africa didn't name a replacement for him, and Heinrich Klaasen, who finished as the third highest run- getter in the domestic one-day tournament here, is expected to make his ODI debut. 

In a way, this could be a blessing in disguise for the hosts. De Kock has been out of form for a while now, failing to cross 50 even once in eight innings against India across both Tests and ODIs. Klaasen's late inclusion will mean that he is yet to be scarred by Indian wrist-spinners Yuzvendra Chahal and Kuldeep Yadav, who have shared 13 wickets in the first two matches.