Wrist watch: Time to clinch series

Johannesburg, February 10

The Indian team looks set for a landmark series triumph but an injury-ravaged South Africa would hope for some AB de Villiers magic to halt the visitors’ charge in the fourth ODI tomorrow.
With an unassailable 3-0 lead, India need just one more win to claim their maiden ODI series triumph on the South African soil. The closest they came was in 2010-11, when under MS Dhoni, they shot into a 2-1 lead only to lose the five-match series 2-3.
If India win tomorrow, it will also cement their spot as the No. 1 side in the ICC ODI rankings.
De Villiers back

South Africa may have some cause for optimism as de Villiers has been added to their ODI squad for the remaining three matches. If he is fit and available, it is expected that de Villiers will bat at No. 3, with JP Duminy dropping down to No. 4. Thus, David Miller or Khaya Zondo will make way for him in the playing eleven. Aiden Markram will continue leading the side.
Pink ODI

The match has been designated as the Pink ODI, played to raise awareness about breast cancer and for the benefit of those suffering from the disease. The first Pink ODI was played in 2011, and this will be the sixth such match in South Africa. The home team has never lost when playing in their unique pink jersey. India held an optional practice session today. Ajinkya Rahane, Rohit Sharma, Shreyas Iyer, Hardik Pandya, Kuldeep Yadav, Shardul Thakur and Mohammed Shami were the players who showed up.
SA Gen-Next not yet ready, says Graeme Smith
St. Moritz (Switzerland): Former South Africa captain Graeme Smith feels that India’s complete dominance in the ongoing ODI series is an indicator that the next generation of South African cricketers is “not quite ready” to take on quality opposition.
“India is very deservingly 3-0 up in the series. While South Africa have lost three key players (AB de Villiers, Faf du Plessis and Quinton de Kock) to injuries but it also showed that the next generation of South African cricketers is not quite ready to take it on,” Smith said.
“I think Cricket South Africa needs to think how they would want to blood and develop the youngsters in order to get them up to the level where they can perform. I am extremely disappointed with their performance but one must give credit to India as they have played outstanding cricket,” added South Africa’s longest serving international captain.
The most disturbing aspect for Smith was that the team has not been able to dominate Chahal and Yadav even once during the middle overs. Smith is of the opinion that this Indian team could have won the Test series also had they not erred in their playing combination by excluding Ajinkya Rahane from the first two Tests. “I would look at India’s team selection. Rahane should have played from the start,” he said. “India needed to play with an extra batter, and the extra bowler they played was not required. Centurion was a very flat deck and India would be disappointed that they lost that Test series.”