India eye rare series win against South Africa as both teams lock horns in 2nd T20I

Team India are set to lock horns with South Africa in the second game of the three-match T20I series at Barsapara Cricket Stadium, Guwahati on Sunday. After winning the opening clash of the series, the Men in Blue now stand a chance to register a rare series win over the Proteas.

Interestingly, India will be chasing their first-ever series victory against South Africa in the shortest format on home soil and a win in the 2nd T20I will seal it as the hosts won the first T20I by eight wickets on Wednesday.

Chasing a target of 107 runs, India reached 110 for two in 16.4 overs with KL Rahul hammering an unbeaten knock of 51 runs off 56 balls. Meanwhile, Suryakumar Yadav also smacked an unbeaten knock of 50 runs off 33 balls. The hosts ended up winning by eight wickets. Initially, a three-wicket haul by Arshdeep Singh helped India restrict the visitors to 106 for eight in 20 overs.

Notably, the ongoing series against South Africa was supposed to fine-tune India’s plans for the upcoming T20 World Cup, which is scheduled to begin from 16 October. But with uncertainty over star pacer Jasprit Bumrah’s fitness, especially after Mohammed Siraj was called over as his replacement for the remainder of T20Is against the Proteas, there are more worries on what will India’s ideal pace combination be.

Bumrah was expected to play a key role in the Indian team’s World Cup campaign in the Australian conditions but his “back stress fracture” has ruled him out of the South Africa series and put his participation in serious doubt in the ICC flagship event, starting in three weeks’ time.

Now the question arises – will the two remaining T20Is against South Africa give the team management scope to test Bumrah’s replacement?

With experienced pacer Mohammed Shami on the path to recovery after testing positive for Covid-19, Siraj, and Umesh Yadav are in the squad against South Africa though the duo is far off from coming into World Cup scheme of things. In a scenario like this, the performances of fit-again Deepak Chahar and Arshdeep Singh must have soothed some tension in the Indian camp on the pace bowling front.

Chahar (4-0-24-2) bowled an impressive spell as he along with young left-arm pace gun Arshdeep Singh (4-0-32-3) reduced the Proteas to 9/5 inside the power on the Greenfield track as India took a 1-0 lead.

In the spin department, Axar Patel has been delivering superb performances consistently since he has cemented his place in the playing XI courtesy of Ravindra Jadeja’s knee surgery.

Patel was the top wicket-taker — eight wickets at an average of 7.87 — in India’s 2-1 win over Australia in their last T20I series. Even in the opener against South Africa, Patel was at his miserly best as he picked up a wicket while giving away just 16 runs in his quote of four overs.

Axar has been well complemented by veteran spinner Ravichandran Ashwin, who has been at his economical best in recent times.

Meanwhile, India would also want for their top four – Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, to put in a collective performance before the team travels to Australia for the marquee event. Moreover, the Men in Blue would be seeking more batting chances for their middle-order batter Dinesh Karthik and Rishabh Pant.

Pant is likely to be the X-factor in Australia, but the southpaw has not got any batting opportunities at all since returning from the Asia Cup where he had a mixed campaign.

On the other hand, Karthik, who is being dubbed as the designated Indian finisher, has faced nine balls in the last seven games and requires more game time before the T20 World Cup.

Talking about South Africa, the Temba Bavuma-led side will aim to bounce back in the series after producing a horrible show in the first T20I. The Proteas will have to win the second T20I to keep their undefeated T20I series record in India intact.

Squads

India: Rohit Sharma (Captain), KL Rahul (vice-captain), Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant (wicket-keeper), Dinesh Karthik (wicket-keeper), Ravichandran Ashwin, Yuzvendra Chahal, Axar Patel, Arshdeep Singh, Harshal Patel, Deepak Chahar, Umesh Yadav, Shreyas Iyer, Shahbaz Ahmed, and Mohammad Siraj.

South Africa: Temba Bavuma (Captain), Quinton de Kock (wicket-keeper), Bjorn Fortuin, Reeza Hendricks, Heinrich Klaasen, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Aiden Markram, David Miller, Lungi Ngidi, Anrich Nortje, Wayne Parnell, Andile Phehlukwayo, Dwaine Pretorius, Kagiso Rabada, Rilee Rossouw, Tabraiz Shamsi and Tristan Stubbs.

(With agencies inputs)