South Africa v England key battles: Jason Roy's form, South Africa's top order and an England duo ready to make their mark

Ahead of the three-match ODI series between South Africa and England, The Cricketer looks at where the series could be won and lost

England’s top-order go up against South Africa without Rabada

England play their first ODI series since losing to Australia in September and they will want to bounce back and return to the path they were on prior to that.

Being world champions brings with it an expectation and there is this expectation that England must win in South Africa.

We saw in the T20 series that England have the hitting ability and they will transfer that into the one-day game as they go up against a talented South Africa bowling attack. The Proteas will be without paceman Kagiso Rabada, however. Rabada picked up a groin injury before the final T20 at Newlands and has been ruled out of the ODI leg.

A top-order of Roy, Bairstow, Root, Morgan and Buttler is one that teams around the world are envious of – one that oozes class and talent and one that can put any side out of the game if they have an off day.

South Africa need to find form at the top of the order

We saw in the T20 series that the top-order struggled. One or two fired and the rest were carried.

In the ODI series, things must be different – there’s time to play yourself in, get a feel for bat on ball and a chance for batsmen to enjoy themselves. That being said, they must pick their battles.

With England’s bowling attack there’s going to be no respite – pace up top with Jofra Archer and then the spin of Adil Rashid later on, South Africa ought to be sensible if they are to get anything from this series.

With two-and-a-bit years until the 50-over World Cup in India, now is the time for South Africa to experiment and see what they’ve got. They must have a settled side who are clear about what their role is if they are to win silverware on the world stage.

_{South Africa's top-order struggled in the T20 series, they'll be searching for a turn in fortune}

Jason Roy has a battle with form

Jason Roy had a torrid time of it in the T20 series – 30 runs in three matches at an average of 10 is hardly anything to rant and rave about.

However, this is his time. We often see when Roy is under pressure, he will come out harder and with a point to prove.

When he is in full flow, he is simply a joy to watch. Although, in the T20 series one had to look away as he struggled to time the ball and make a meaningful contribution in the three victories.

If he doesn’t succeed in his quest to find form then there are sure to be others who will be happy to take his place. Are Jason Roy’s days in an England shirt numbered?

Jason Roy needs runs in the ODI series

Olly Stone and Reece Topley should fancy themselves to succeed

Warwickshire’s Olly Stone hasn’t played international cricket since the Test against Ireland in July 2019.

His ODI record isn’t anything special, with only one wicket in four matches. However, he’ll be fired up and ready to go if he gets the call to play at Newlands or Paarl. His List-A record is slightly more impressive – he’s taken 24 wickets in 30 matches at an average of 42.62 with best figures of 4-71.

Reece Topley has a decent record in ODI cricket, having taken 17 wickets in 11 matches at an average of just under 26, with best figures of 4-50 against South Africa coincidentally.

With the South Africa top-order struggling to gel at the moment, these two should fancy themselves to do the job if they are called upon. The key is to not overthink it and do the basics well, forcing the mistakes – the rewards will then come.

Gift a subscription to The Cricketer this Christmas and choose your free gift (a £20 John Lewis gift card or copy of Bob Willis: A Cricketer & A Gentleman). Subscribe here

Subscribe to The Cricketer for exclusive content every day: The inside track on everything England - including leading coverage of England in India, award-winning analysis, breaking news and interviews and the only place for in-depth county coverage all year round. Plus: An ad-free app experience at your fingertips. Subscribe to thecricketer.com today for just £1.