 "Raipur Weather Forecast and Pitch Report: IND vs SA 2nd ODI’s conditions explained")
After triumphing in a high-scoring contest in Ranchi on Sunday, Team India will be eyeing a second consecutive victory in Raipur on Wednesday as they aim to seal the three-match ODI series against South Africa with a game to spare.
The Men in Blue had seized the lead at Ranchi’s JSCA Stadium with a 17-run victory over the Proteas after setting them a challenging 350 to win, with batting stalwarts and former captains Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma starring in yet another Indian victory.
The Ro-Ko pair stitched together a century partnership for the second time in as many games, adding 136 for the second wicket to help India recover from a shaky start before Rohit departed for 57. Kohli would go on to bring up his 52nd ODI century later in the game, eventually getting dismissed for 135 off 120 balls, which laid the foundation for India’s score of 349/8 after they were invited to bat.
Also Read | Records and milestones that await Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli in 2nd ODI in Raipur
South Africa were off to a disastrous start after getting reduced to 11/3 inside the powerplay, with under-fire pacer Harshit Rana striking twice inside the powerplay. The South African middle and lower order, however, made full use of the ideal batting conditions as well as evening dew to stage a sensational comeback and take the game till the final over.
Will the wicket at Raipur’s Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh Stadium be as conducive for batting in the second ODI as it was in Ranchi on Sunday? And will there be any weather-related interruptions on Wednesday?
Quick Reads
View AllRaipur cricket stadium pitch report
India had bundled New Zealand out for a paltry 108 in January 2023 in the only ODI played at this venue, with the hosts later cruising to an eight-wicket victory in a little over 20 overs. The only T20I at this venue, however, wasn’t as low-scoring an affair, with India collecting a 17-run victory over Australia in December later that year after posting 174.
The black soil pitch at Raipur might not be as conducive for batters as the one in Ranchi, which had witnessed a record 682 runs being scored across the two innings. But it isn’t likely to be anything like the one the Black Caps had collapsed like a house of cards on either.
Raipur weather forecast
Expect ideal conditions for a game of cricket in the Chhattisgarh capital on Wednesday, with no rain and the temperature hovering around the 28-degree mark in the afternoon.
While it was a little nippy in Ranchi in the evening, especially towards the end of the series opener, the temperature will be dropping below the 20-degree mark in Raipur only after 9 pm, at which point the second one-dayer will be nearing its conclusion.
 "Putin signals stronger India-Russia ties ahead of visit, pushes for more Indian exports")
 "US-Russia hold ‘constructive’ peace talks but reach ‘no compromise’ on territory: Kremlin")
 "Hegseth says he 'did not see any survivors' before second strike on Venezuelan drug boat")
 "FirstUp: Macron to visit China and the other big headlines of the day")
 "Putin signals stronger India-Russia ties ahead of visit, pushes for more Indian exports")
 "US-Russia hold ‘constructive’ peace talks but reach ‘no compromise’ on territory: Kremlin")
 "Hegseth says he 'did not see any survivors' before second strike on Venezuelan drug boat")
 "FirstUp: Macron to visit China and the other big headlines of the day")
