KEY POINTS
- Both teams have faced off twice in Cuttack, with South Africa emerging victorious on both occasions.
- South Africa is one win away from becoming the most successful T20I team against India.
- Jasprit Bumrah (99) and Hardik Pandya (98) are closing in on 100 T20I wickets.
- Tilak Varma (996) and Sanju Samson (995) are one run away from reaching 1000 T20I runs.
CUTTACK, India: The opening match of the five-match T20I series between India and South Africa will take place on Tuesday at the Barabati Stadium, Cuttack, where the two teams have met twice before, with South Africa winning both encounters.
Key Players to Watch
Since the start of 2024, India has been in superb form, winning 25 of their 28 T20Is when Hardik Pandya is in the squad, with just two losses and one tie.
Hardik’s return after recovering from an injury during the Australia tour significantly strengthens India’s lineup, bringing balance to the team with his ability to bat deep into the order and bowl effectively.
On the other hand, Dewald Brevis has been a revelation since his debut in August 2023, with a remarkable strike rate of 225.00 against spin in T20Is.
He has been in prime form, contributing with match-winning knocks in the recent ODIs, and will be a key player to watch as he faces India’s spin-heavy attack.
Team News
India has welcomed the return of Hardik Pandya and Shubman Gill, who is back after recovering from a neck injury sustained during the Kolkata Test.
Two main selection questions for India revolve around whether Jitesh Sharma, who replaced Sanju Samson during the Australia tour, will continue as wicketkeeper and who will occupy the No. 8 spot in the batting order, with three different players vying for the role.
India (probable): 1 Abhishek Sharma, 2 Shubman Gill, 3 Suryakumar Yadav (capt), 4 Tilak Varma, 5 Jitesh Sharma/Sanju Samson (wk), 6 Hardik Pandya, 7 Axar Patel, 8 Harshit Rana/Washington Sundar/Shivam Dube, 9 Kuldeep Yadav, 10 Varun Charavarthy, 11 Jasprit Bumrah.
South Africa’s recent T20I record is somewhat misleading, as they’ve often been missing key players.
This series may offer a glimpse of their full-strength XI, with Aiden Markram returning to lead after a break, alongside the return of David Miller and Anrich Nortje from injuries.
Markram’s position in the batting order, and whether South Africa opt for a second left-arm spinner in George Linde, are two key points of interest.
South Africa: 1 Quinton de Kock (wk), 2 Aiden Markram (capt), 3 Reeza Hendricks, 4 Dewald Brevis, 5 David Miller, 6 Tristan Stubbs, 7 Corbin Bosch/George Linde, 8 Marco Jansen, 9 Keshav Maharaj, 10 Lungi Ngidi, 11 Anrich Nortje.
Barabati Stadium has hosted three T20Is, with South Africa winning two of those.
The conditions in Cuttack offer a bit of everything: some early assistance for seamers, grip for spinners, and plenty of dew to make bowling challenging in the second innings.
The forecast for Tuesday evening is overcast and hazy, with no rain expected.
Form Guide
India: WWLWW (Last five matches, most recent first)
South Africa: LLWLL
South Africa eye record win
South Africa is just one win away from becoming the most successful T20I team against India, currently tied with Australia and England, each with 12 wins.
Meanwhile, Jasprit Bumrah (99) and Hardik Pandya (98) are nearing the 100-wicket milestone in T20Is, with Arshdeep Singh (105) already achieving this feat for India.
Tilak Varma (996) and Sanju Samson (995) are both just a hit away from 1000 T20I runs. Among all batters with 1000+ T20I runs, Abhishek Sharma boasts the best strike rate at 189.51.
With both teams hungry for victory, the upcoming match promises to be an exciting start to the series.
The complete fixtures for the series
First T20I: Barabati Stadium, Cuttack – December 9
Second T20I: Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium, New Chandigarh – December 11
Third T20I: Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium, Dharamsala – December 14
Fourth T20I: Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium, Lucknow – December 17
Fifth T20I: Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad – December 20
The match will feature India’s Suryakumar Yadav and South Africa’s Aiden Markram as captains.
Where to Watch the Series Live
India: The series will be broadcast on Star Sports, with live streaming available on the JioHotstar app and website.
South Africa: Supersport will air the series on SS Grandstand and SS Cricket, with streaming options on DStv app and website.
USA: Willow TV will provide live streaming for the series.
UK: TNT Sports will broadcast, and live streaming is available on Discovery Plus.
Australia: Fox Cricket will televise the series, and Kayo Sports app and website offer live streaming.
New Zealand: Sky Sports NZ will air the series, with live streaming available on the Sky Sports app.
