Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, MS Dhoni, AB De Villiers, Hashim Amla and Dale Steyn – the obvious players expected to make an impact in this India vs South Africa series.
So, then, let's take a look at some of the players who might surprise us and make an impression by leaving an indelible mark on this should-be-lots-of-fun one-day international series, which will see the first ball bowled at 9 am on Sunday.
India: Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Umesh Yadav: If India are to win this series, the bowling needs to do well, especially the seamers. Early wickets are vital to prevent South Africa from running away with the game, and time is ripe for Bhuvneshwar to find his swing skills again. That white ball should really be moving around a lot more for the medium-pacer and, hopefully, from India's perspective, it will swing both ways against South Africa.
Umesh Yadav was not picked for the T20Is, but he is a part of the ODI squad. His pace is always a useful weapon to have, but the worry with Umesh is always the discipline. If he can stick to the right lines and lengths consistently, like he did often enough at the World Cup, MS Dhoni will have a potent bowler.
Gurkeerat Singh Mann: Will he even get a game? Well, if he does, what better way to announce yourself in international cricket than with a solid all-round show against South Africa. With Axar Patel struggling and Stuart Binny yet to convince, Gurkeerat might just turn out to be India's secret (for the first couple of ODIs, but then not-so-secret) weapon.
South Africa: Kyle Abbott is an insanely underrated bowler. However, every time he is given the ball, he does his job. Abbott ensured India would not post an ungettable total in that first T20I, and even with Dale Steyn and Morne Morkel returning to the squad, expect this fast bowler to be one of the keys for the Proteas.
Farhaan Behardien and Chris Morris: If South Africa play Quinton de Kock in this ODI series, they might decide to go with just one of these players. Morris is the better all-rounder, Behardien the better batsmen. The latter showed his batting skills in the first T20I against India, an innings which could keep him in the team, while Morris was especially impressive in the second T20 international, both with the ball and in the field. Both players are good options to have for De Villiers, and unlikely to let the captain down, so the captain might try to find a way to get both of them in the playing XI.
