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DURBAN: With the cricket World Cup looming, India and South Africa square up for a five-match one-day international series that will give two tournament contenders a valuable indication of their limited-overs form.
Following an historic drawn test series, the first time India has avoided defeat in South Africa, both teams will be much-changed for Wednesday's first one-dayer at Kingsmead as the 50-over format takes center stage in the new year.
For India, batsmen Murali Vijay, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma and offspinner Ravichandran Ashwin are pushing for regular places and hoping to take advantage before their country co-hosts the World Cup next month.
India will be without injured openers Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir, and now seam bowler Praveen Kumar, who has a right elbow problem and was ruled out of the series on Tuesday.
''We haven't been able to play with a probable team (for the World Cup) since last February,'' captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni said. ''One of our crucial players has always been out injured.
''We will try to feature some new players and just not worry about the conditions here. We definitely have the World Cup in mind and its always good to give the selectors one more option.''
Meanwhile, the presence of Pakistan-born legspinner Imran Tahir in South Africa's one-day setup is a dream come true for Proteas skipper Graeme Smith.
South Africa is expected to give Tahir, a 31-year-old former Pakistan A representative who qualified for his adopted country on the last day of 2010, his international debut at his home ground in Durban on Wednesday.
Uncapped Faf du Plessis could also be tried in the absence of allrounder Jacques Kallis, who has a right side strain and, like Kumar, will not be risked ahead of the Feb. 19-April 2 limited-overs showpiece.
Heading into his ninth year, and final series, as South Africa's one-day captain, Smith said he always wanted an attacking spin bowler at his disposal.
He has it now in Tahir, who was rushed into the Proteas squad for the series against India and the World Cup.
''It (having an attacking spinner) is something I have dreamed of throughout my captaincy,'' said Smith, who will step down as one-day skipper after the World Cup. ''It's an asset to have an attacking, wicket-taking option in the middle overs which we haven't really had.
