IND-A vs SA-A, 3rd One-Dayer Preview: Rajkot runfest on the cards as India-A eyes series sweep
For much of the three-match one-day series in Rajkot at the Niranjan Shah Stadium, India-A hasn’t had to sweat much, especially in the second game, where it eased past South Africa-A to seal a 2-0 lead. When the sides meet on Wednesday for the final time on this tour, the visitor will have more to play for.
Marques Ackerman’s men were far more competitive in the two red-ball matches, drawing the series 1-1, but the gulf in quality has been clearer in the white-ball leg. India-A has outplayed South Africa-A in both games; while the opener stretched into the final over, the second game ended inside 58 overs.
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The host’s attack, comprising Arshdeep Singh, Prasidh Krishna, Harshit Rana and Nishant Sindhu, has been central to its dominance. The pace trio brings significant international experience, while Sindhu has been a steady, reliable presence in the ‘A’ setup.
Ayush Badoni, Riyan Parag and Nitish Kumar Reddy have chipped in with useful overs, alongside spin-bowling all-rounder Vipraj Nigam. On Wednesday, left-arm spinner Manav Suthar and pacer Khaleel Ahmed – benched so far – could get a look-in.
With the bat, Ruturaj Gaikwad and Tilak Varma have handled the tricky conditions under lights with composure. Gaikwad, in particular, has been in complete control, following up his century in the opener with an unbeaten 68.
How head coach Hrishikesh Kanitkar rotates the XI will be worth watching, especially in the batting group, where Prabhsimran Singh is yet to get a game and could come in for Ishan Kishan or one of the openers. Parag, who didn’t feature in the second match and hasn’t trained with the side, appears unlikely to play.
For South Africa-A, the challenge is to elevate its performance across all departments. The visitor hasn’t posted enough runs or troubled India’s batters, and has been sloppy in the field under lights—issues it must address to avoid a clean sweep.
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Beyond the fielding lapses, the visitor needs a clearer batting plan. The top order has gone too hard, too early, mistiming far too many strokes. At least a couple of batters will need to bat deep to push the pressure back on India-A, with Ackerman expected to lead from the front. Jordan Hermann, who showed flashes of his range in the multi-day games, must also step up and provide a strong start.
In the bowling department, pacer Lutho Sipamla and in-form spinner Prenelan Subrayen will be key to finding breakthroughs and applying pressure. Much like the batting unit, the bowling attack has looked short on ideas, operating more with the intention of not getting hit than with plans to take wickets.
After two matches on the same strip, the third game will be played on a fresh pitch, expected to be a flatter track. With the crowd turning out in numbers and a runfest on the cards, the finale could be an entertaining one.
Published on Nov 18, 2025
