Centurion: An upbeat India, who had already scripted history in South Africa with an unprecedented series win, will play their sixth and final One Day International (ODI) match against the hosts on Friday.
The visitors are currently boosted with confidence with an unassailable lead of 4-1 in the six-match series.
With the first ever series win in South Africa in 25 years, India also confirmed their top spot in the ICC ODI Rankings, pushing the hosts to the second spot.
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A win in today’s match for India could prepare a strong platform for a fine showing in the T20 International (T20I) format of the game which begins with the first match slated for Sunday at Johannesburg.
Meanwhile, India could rest a few players in the dead rubber, looking at the long overseas schedule this year.
India has been enjoying a magnificent top order-form on the tour, combined with their fatal bowling line-up.
The hosts have five centuries in their whole tour, which includes three from skipper Virat Kohli and one each from openers Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan.
Going in the inconsequential match 1-4 down, South Africa opener Hashim Amla has admitted that their side has not been in this difficult position earlier.
“I don’t think in one-day cricket we’ve been in this position. Maybe in 2008 in England, when we didn’t have a good one-day series but there are always positives and learning to take from it,” Amla told reporters on the eve of the final ODI.
Squads:
India: Virat Kohli (c), Shikhar Dhawan, Rohit Sharma, Ajinkya Rahane, Shreyas Iyer, Manish Pandey, Dinesh Karthik, Kedar Jadhav, MS Dhoni (wk), Hardik Pandya, Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav, Axar Patel, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, Shardul Thakur.
South Africa: Aiden Markram (c), Hashim Amla, JP Duminy, Imran Tahir, David Miller, Morne Morkel, Chris Morris, Lungisani Ngidi, Andile Phehlukwayo, Kagiso Rabada, Tabraiz Shamsi, Khayelihle Zondo, Farhaan Behardien, Heinrich Klaasen (wk), AB de Villiers.