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After an enthralling T20I series that ended in a 1-1 draw between South Africa and India, cricket fans eagerly await the upcoming ODI series set to kick off on Sunday at the New Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg.
KL Rahul to lead the Men in Blue
Unlike the T20Is where Suryakumar Yadav led the Men in Blue, KL Rahul will be captaining the Indian team in the ODIs. However, the bigger news is that the visitors will be without their main coaching staff, including the head coach Rahul Dravid.
Strategic move
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has confirmed that Dravid will not be coaching the Indian side during the three-match ODI series. Instead, Dravid will shift his focus to oversee the preparations for the upcoming two-match Test series. This move is seen as a strategic decision by the coaching staff to balance the workload and tailor preparations to the different formats.
Dravid, accompanied by the entire support staff, comprising batting coach Vikram Rathour, bowling coach Paras Mhambrey, and fielding coach T. Dilip, will not be part of the ODI series. Instead, they will link up with the Test squad to oversee preparations for the inter-squad game and the ensuing Test series, which is scheduled to commence on December 26 in Centurion.
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“Team India (Senior Men) head coach Rahul Dravid, batting coach Vikram Rathour, bowling coach Paras Mhambrey, and fielding coach T. Dilip will link up with the Test squad and oversee their preparations for the inter-squad game and the Test series,” said BCCI in an official release.
Key players to return for a warm-up game
Dravid will be closely monitoring the proceedings of a three-day inter-squad match starting on December 20 in Pretoria. The match serves as a crucial warm-up fixture for the Test squad, with the previous tour game against South Africa A ending in a draw. Key Test players, including captain Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Jasprit Bumrah and Ravichandran Ashwin, are expected to participate in the upcoming match.
Notably, all three ODIs are scheduled to take place on December 17, 19 and 21, promising another intense battle between the two cricketing powerhouses.
