WATCH | South Africa v/s India, 1st ODI: MS Dhoni means business, smashes bowlers in nets

India take on South Africa in the first ODI of the six-match series at the Sahara Stadium Kingsmead in Durban on Thursday. After surrendering the three-match Test series 1-2, Team India will want to make things right in the 50-over format.

The visitors will be bolstered by the arrival of limited-overs specialist and a legend of the game Mahendra Singh Dhoni. The former India captain is still a vital cog of the Men In Blue and skipper Virat Kohli will surely turn to him for guidance in more ways than one.

On the eve of the first ODI, Dhoni looked like he meant business as he had an intense net session in Durban. The 36-year-old spent a lengthy time in the nets and horned his strokes for the crucial encounter on Thursday.

Here's MSD batting in the nets on Wednesday

When @msdhoni has a go at the nets #TeamIndia #SAvIND pic.twitter.com/ex3mTby1Gb

— BCCI (@BCCI) January 31, 2018

Galvanised by the consolatory win in the final Test, a resurgent India will be aiming for their first bilateral ODI series triumph on the South African soil when they take on the Proteas in a six-match rubber, starting in Durban on Thursday.

With only 14 months to go for the 2019 ODI World Cup, India will also look to kick off their preparations in earnest during the series. India have a long limited-overs' schedule until their next big Test assignment this year.

They play six ODIs and three T20 Internationals here, a T20I tri-series in Sri Lanka and then three ODIs and three T20Is in England and Ireland, with the 2018 IPL season thrown in, before the five-Test series in England later in August.

Such a definitive run of limited-overs' cricket, especially in overseas conditions in South Africa and England, will allow the Indian team management to round up the squad's core for the big tournament in 2019 and fix up certain spots which still need some work.

At the same time, the Men in Blue will be intent on winning their first-ever bilateral ODI series on South African soil.

(Inputs from PTI)