After concluding a thrilling series against Australia, which the hosts won 2-1, India will next host South Africa for another 3-T20I rubber, both teams’ last T20I series before next month’s T20 World Cup.
The first match will be played on Wednesday, September 28, at the Greenfield International Stadium, Thiruvananthapuram. The Proteas also won their last T20I series – vs England, by a 2-1 margin. Not too long ago, in June, a second-string Indian side had hosted South Africa, the series ending in 2-2 with one match washed out.
India have rested Bhuvneshwar and Hardik while Shami (covid) and Deepak Hooda (back injury) are ruled out; South Africa are without the injured Rassie van der Dussen.
India squad:
Rohit Sharma (Captain), KL Rahul (vice-captain), Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant (wicket-keeper), Dinesh Karthik (wicket-keeper), R. Ashwin, Yuzvendra Chahal, Axar Patel, Arshdeep Singh, Harshal Patel, Deepak Chahar, Jasprit Bumrah, Umesh Yadav, Shreyas Iyer, Shahbaz Ahmed
In this article, we predict India’s XI for the first T20I against South Africa:
Top-order: Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul, Virat Kohli
India’s top three is sealed for the T20 World Cup, and all three have shown good form recently. Against Australia, Sharma scored 74 runs at a blistering strike rate of 172 – including a match-winning 46* off 20 balls – while Kohli played a terrific anchor innings in the third T20I – 63 off 48 balls. KL Rahul started the series on a positive note with 55 off 35 in the first T20I.
Although Kohli has been marked as the third opener in the squad, India are likely to stick with Rahul at the top.
Middle-order: Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant (wk), Dinesh Karthik
Unarguably Suryakumar Yadav is India’s best T20 batter on form currently. In Hyderabad, Suryakumar played a whirlwind knock of 69 runs off 36 balls, and in Mohali, he smashed 46 off 25.
In the absence of both Hardik Pandya and Deepak Hooda, Rishabh Pant could get a chance in the South Africa series. India picked him for the second T20I in Nagpur – when the game was shortened to 8-over per side and Pant replaced Bhuvneshwar to add batting depth – but he didn’t get to bat.
Dinesh Karthik has been clearly earmarked as the first-choice keeper-batsman in the XI – and he’s earned and proved his selection – but Pant could get a couple of chances or three in the South Africa series to show that he’s much better in this format than his T20I numbers suggest.
All-rounder: Axar Patel, Deepak Chahar/Harshal Patel
With both Pandya and Hooda not available, India’s five bowlers will have to bowl their quota of overs – unless Kohli is asked to bowl an over or two.
Axar Patel was the Player of the Series against Australia – where he finished as the leading wicket-taker with 8 scalps and bowled at an economy of 6.3. The management have decided to trust Axar with his batting abilities too and he gets a place at number 6/7.
Returning from an injury, Harshal had a poor series – with figures of 0/49 (in 4 overs), 0/32 and 1 for 18 (in 2 overs). But, Rohit said that management will back Harshal to come good soon. And the fact that Harshal is in the T20 WC squad while Chahar is in the reserves could force the management to tilt toward playing Harshal over Chahar, even though that means lacking effectiveness in the powerplay.
In the absence of Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Deepak Chahar is the like-for-like replacement as the new ball specialist and can also whack the ball good. It’s a tough call for the management, but I reckon Chahar could get the nod for the first T20I, especially with Arshdeep in the squad. R Ashwin is another all-rounder option that India could ponder given South Africa have left-handers Quinton de Kock and David Miller.
Bowlers: Jasprit Bumrah, Yuzvendra Chahal, Arshdeep Singh
It would be fair to believe that Arshdeep Singh will get the nod in the XI irrespective of whether Harshal is selected or not. Arshdeep has been one of the best T20 death bowlers in the world this year, and can also move the new ball both ways. This SA series provides Arshdeep with an opportunity to lock a place in the XI for the T20 World Cup ahead of Harshal.
Chahal had two bad games against Australia – 1/42 and 1/12 (in 1 over) – but returned strongly in the third T20I with 1/22. Bumrah, on his return after more than two months, was clattered in the third T20I, but remains a potent threat in any phase of the match.