India vs South Africa ODI series, Statistical Preview: Virat Kohli, Yuzvendra Chahal eye big milestones

South Africa are back in India, this time for the final leg of their tour - a three-match ODI series. They had held the hosts in the T20Is (1-1) and were humiliated in the Tests. But South Africa are looking to turn things around this time amid fears of coronavirus outbreak, which has led to the visitors to enforce a 'no-handshake policy', just like Joe Root's men. And South Africa will be a pretty confident side given there recent 3-0 clean sweep at home against Australia. But India at home are a different monster, despite the results they incurred on the tour of New Zealand. The series will kick off in Dharamsala on March 12 and the second and third match will be played in Lucknow and Kolkata, respectively. Ahead of the series, we take a statistical look at the contest. 

South Africa, the better side?

India in India vs South Africa ODIs

South Africa have been the better side in the contest between the two nations. At least that is what numbers reveal. In 85 ODI contests, the Proteas have won 46 games leaving India with a win percentage of 41.66. Even in India, the head-to-head tie stands close, albeit the hosts leading by a fine margin of 15-13. However, recent contests have different stories to tell. Since 2017, India have lost just one ODI match against South Africa, in Johannesburg in 2018. Also, in their last bilateral series, in 2018, India had scripted a historic 5-1 win in South Africa. But there is an uncanny twist to the story. In the two bilateral series and the 2011 World Cup tie they have played in India in the last decade, the home team won as many as they lost with South Africa winning the 2015 contest 3-2 and the World Cup tie.  

Players to watch out for...

Virat Kohli: The Indian skipper has an average of 64.35 in 25 innings of this rivalry contest, the most for any player who has amassed at least 500 runs in India vs South Africa ODIs. Kohli presently has 1287 runs against South Africa with four centuries and six fifties and would make the most of home conditions to break his century-less streak in international cricket. 

Quinton de Kock: For South Africa, the captain holds the third-highest average from his nation in this rivalry contest with a figure of 60.30 from the 784 runs he scored against India in 13 innings. The average is also his second-best against an opponent in ODIs. 

Kul-Cha: The combination of Yuzvendra Chahal and Kuldeep Yadav may not have featured together in a limited-overs contest since their 2018 tour to England, but as Kul-Cha, the pair has impressive numbers. They have together bagged 38 wickets in the last seven matches they have played together with both averaging 15.66, the best among bowlers who have taken more than 10 wickets in this contest.

Records in line...

2 matches more and Kohli will become the eighth Indian player to feature in more than 250 ODI matches. 

22 is the present century-less streak for the Indian skipper across formats, with his last triple-figure number being 136 in Kolkata against Bangladesh in November 2019. Kohli will be desperate to shrug off the streak, against South Africa at home. Kohli's worst run was between February 28, 2014  to October 11, when he scored 524 runs in 26 innings at 22.7 with four half-centuries. It is followed by his run between February 27, 2011 to September 11, where he scored 562 runs in 24 innings across formats, averaging 22.7.

1 more century and 31-year-old Kohli will have the joint second-most number of international centuries alongside Australia's Ricky Ponting (71), most international centuries as a captain surpassing Ponting's tally of 41, and will become the first Asian captain ever to have a Test century in the all the SENA nations. 

1 more century and Kohli will equal Sachin Tendulkar's feat of most centuries by a player at home. Kohli now has 19 tons.

135 runs more and Kohli will become the second Indian after Sachin to amass 5000 ODI runs at home and will become the fastest Indian ever to the feat. He presently has 4865 runs from 92 innings. Overall, he will become the fourth player to the milestone. 

11867 is Kohli's present tally of runs in ODI cricket from 239 innings. He needs 133 runs more to reach the milestone of 12000 runs and will subsequently become the fastest cricketer to the feat, surpassing Sachin who had amassed 12000 runs in his 300th innings. 

99 runs more and Kohli will become the third Indian to reach the milestone of 22000 international runs after Sachin and Rahul Dravid. 

9 wickets required by Chahal to amass 100 ODI wickets. With 99 wickets in 52 matches, Chahal has the ability to break Mohammed Shami's record (56 matches) of being the fastest Indian.