It will be the last and the series decider game today between India and South Africa. When India plays South Africa in the ODI series decider at Boland Park on Thursday, December 21, a young Indian team will be hoping to bounce back and capture only the country's second-ever ODI series victory. After winning the first ODI in Johannesburg by 8 wickets, India lost the second in Gqeberha by the same margin by which the two had shared the series so far.

Both India and South Africa do not have a complete team since their stars, including Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Jasprit Bumrah, and Kagiso Rabada, are preparing for the forthcoming two-match Test series, which begins on December 26.

India's chances of winning their second ODI series in South Africa will hinge on the openers performing well in the third and final match on Thursday in Paarl. The first two matches had a similar plot of a shaky opening combination.

India's last ODI series triumph came in 2018, and they will need a solid start from both Ruturaj Gaikwad and B Sai Sudharsan if they are to win another. Sai Sudharsan has looked good in his opening two games of the series, scoring 55 and 62 points. Gaikwad, on the other hand, was unable to assist him.

India had a small concern with their bowling unit prior to the third ODI. Mukesh Kumar needs to put on his striking armor right now because he hasn't taken a wicket in his last two games.

The Bengal player struggled after Proteas starter Tony de Zorzi brute-forced him through the on-side with thunderous hacks.

India's first-wicket partnership broke down at 23 and 4 in Johannesburg and Port Elizabeth, with the right-hander falling for five and four.

South African openers Tony de Zorzi (his first century) and Reeza Hendricks, on the other hand, annihilated the chase with a combined 130 runs.

In a similar vein, Tilak Varma's promising career appeared to have peaked in the past few months. The strong left-hander appears to have brought his troubles with him to South Africa, where he struggled to achieve his peak in the home T20I series against Australia. The batter from Hyderabad has not yet achieved his peak here.

India lacks Shreyas Iyer in the middle order to support the innings, so Gaikwad and Varma, unless he is replaced by the uncapped Rajat Patidar for today's match, must rediscover their range. Patidar normally bats at No. 4 for Madhya Pradesh.

Following the first one-day, Iyer took part in an inter-squad match to prepare for the following Test series. The Boland Park surface, which typically favors batsmen, can provide some relief for these top-order batsmen.

The bounce of the Port Elizabeth pitch was a touch uneven, particularly in the initial innings, but the Paarl deck typically produces proper bounce and carry, allowing batters to swing freely and hit fearlessly. It may also urge the think-tank to give free-hitting Sanju Samson, who was out for 12 in the previous encounter, another chance, and the Kerala cricketer donning the big gloves in Port Elizabeth could be an indication of that.

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Weather report: India vs. South Africa 3rd ODI 

Fantastic news for cricket enthusiasts! The weather forecast for today's third ODI between India and South Africa in Paarl is as follows:

• Sunny skies: Clear skies are expected throughout the match, providing excellent conditions for both teams to play their best cricket.
• Hot temperatures: Expect blistering heat, with highs of 36°C (97°F) at noon. As the game progresses, the temperature is forecast to drop somewhat, providing some relief to both players and fans.
• No rain: There is no risk of rain, therefore the game will not be hampered by inclement weather.
• Humidity: Humidity levels are expected to be lower than in previous matches in the series, providing some relief from the extreme heat.
• Wind: A moderate wind speed of around 28 km/h (17 mph) is expected, which could influence play, particularly for highballs and swing bowling.

Overall, the weather appears to be unimportant in this highly anticipated contest. Under clear sky and sunshine, players and fans can expect an exciting game.

Squads:

South Africa: Aiden Markram (captain), Nandre Burger, Reeza Hendricks, Tony de Zorzi, Heinrich Klaasen, David Miller, Keshav Maharaj, Mihlali Mpongwana, Wiaan Mulder, Rassie van der Dussen, Beuran Hendricks, Tabraiz Shamsi, Kyle Verreynne, Lizaad Williams, 

India: KL Rahul (captain, WK), Ruturaj Gaikwad, Sai Sudharsan, Rajat Patidar, Tilak Varma, Shreyas Iyer, Rinku Singh, Sanju Samson (wk), Washington Sundar, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, Mukesh Kumar, Arshdeep Singh, Avesh Khan, Akash Deep

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