India and South Africa will meet once again for bilateral matches this year. The Proteas had white-washed India 3-0 in the home ODI series in January. In return, in June, the 5-match T20I series ended 2-2, and now they visit once again for 3 T20Is and 3 ODIs before the T20 World Cup 2022.
The first T20I is slated for Wednesday at the Greenfield International Stadium, Thiruvananthapuram, followed by matches in Guwahati and Indore.
Both the sides are coming off a 2-1 T20I series victory – India over Australia and South Africa over England. This upcoming rubber offers the teams a final chance to iron out the remaining chinks before the mega-event in Australia.
As the teams gear up for another exciting series, we look at the top 5 Indian run-scorers against South Africa in T20Is:
Rohit Sharma – 362 runs
India’s captain and opener, Rohit Sharma has been prolific against South Africa. His maiden T20I century, in 2015, came versus this opposition.
In 12 T20I knocks against the Proteas, Sharma has scored 362 runs (most by any Indian) at an average of 32 and strike rate of 134. Along with the one century, he’s notched up a couple of fifties as well, and has walloped 14 sixes against SA.
Suresh Raina – 339 runs
Suresh Raina is India’s first-ever T20I centurion – he brought up his maiden T20I ton (a blistering knock of 101 runs in 60 balls) against South Africa at the 2010 T20 World Cup in West Indies. Against SA, Raina has amassed 339 runs in 11 T20I innings at 33 and a strike rate of 148. Raina took international retirement in 2020.
Virat Kohli – 254 runs
Former India skipper Virat Kohli has played a couple of fantastic half-centuries against South Africa. Overall, in 9 T20I innings vs SA, Kohli has recorded 254 runs at an average of 36 and strike rate of 134, and has remained unbeaten twice.
Shikhar Dhawan – 233 runs
Even though Dhawan didn’t have many big knocks against South Africa, he remained consistent in giving India good starts. The left-handed opener has scored 233 runs in the 7 innings he’s played against SA with a best of 72; he averaged 33 and his runs came at a good strike rate of 141 when facing the Protea bowlers.
Ishan Kishan – 206 runs
Ishan Kishan has the best average/strike rate record against South Africa among the five names on this list. He played in only one series against them – in June at home – in 5 innings, Kishan scored 206 runs with the help of two fifties, finishing with an average of 41, but importantly a strike rate of 150. With the return of Sharma, KL Rahul and Kohli, Kishan lost his place from the T20 WC squad.
