World Cup 2019: Key players for India vs South Africa encounter

SOUTHAMPTON: India to take on South Africa at the Hampshire Bowl today in their opening World Cup game at 2:30 pm (PST) and 10:30 am (local time).

If India manages to beat Proteas, then South Africa will own the unwanted record of losing three consecutive games for the first time in World Cup history, as they have already lost the first two games of the tournament.

Following will be the noticeable players for this important encounter:

Virat Kohli (India)

ICC cricketer of the year 2017 and 2018, ICC Test Player of the Year 2018; ICC ODI Player of the Year in 2012, 2017 and 2018, the Indian skipper is always on point. Kohli, a right-handed top-order batsman, has the ability to get the best out of himself as well as his players. He’s one of the best batsmen in chasing a score.

The young batsman played in every match of India's successful World Cup campaign. He scored an unbeaten 100, his fifth ODI century, in the first match against Bangladesh and became the first Indian batsman to score a century on World Cup debut.

In his vast career of 227 ODI matches (219 innings), he has scored very impressive 10843 runs with a jaw-breaking average of 59.57. Mirror-cracking 41 hundreds and 49 fifties. The man is lethal to any bowler, regardless of their bowling forte.

Rohit Sharma (India)

The Indian opener is a big match player and will be playing his second World Cup. He has the talent to raise any game under pressure. He has got an amazing character to deliver grand on stage.

In the 200 innings that he has opened for India, 'The Hitman', has reckoned 8010 runs at a very decent average of 47.39, with a great strike rate of 87.95. He has additionally scored 22 centuries opening the innings for India.

A great deal will rely upon Rohit's form to help India lift up the World Cup trophy for the third time.

Jasprit Bumrah (India)

Batsmen are circumspect when it comes to facing Bumrah. He has the ability to pick up wickets of set players. He consistently bowls at 145-150 kmph, especially in-swinging yorker deliveries. He has added so many variations to his game, becoming multi-dimensional bowler with an unorthodox action.

In his career of 49 matches, he has taken 85 wickets, including a five-wicket haul (5/27) and an economy of 4.51.

He is the best India bowler at the moment to bowl with the new ball. Alongside, he will have a very little margin of error and will have to serve the role of death-bowler specialist for his team.

Faf du Plessis (South Africa)

The South African skipper was the top run-getter in the warm-up match against Sri Lanka where he scored 88 runs off 81 balls, including seven boundaries and four impressive sixes.

With an intrinsic charm in his style of batting and an amazing average of 61.71, du Plessis has scored 494 runs in 12 matches this year, till date with 112* being his top notch.

He also scored 62 runs off 53 deliveries against Bangladesh in their last match. Overall, the man is in hot form.

Imran Tahir (South Africa)

The 40-year-old became the first leg-break spinner to bowl an opening over in a World Cup match ever. Imran Tahir was also able to provide a breakthrough to the Proteas in the very first over versus England.

164 wickets in 99 matches, Tahir's best bowling figure is 7/45 against West Indies in a Tri-Series. He has a very huge fan following all around the world.

He also took 2 wickets in their last match against Bangladesh.