India vs South Africa: 2nd T20 The Series Finally Begins

Cricket

India vs South Africa: The first Twenty20 International match between South Africa and India in Durban was abandoned due to rain, and not a single ball was bowled. For the second T20I, the action now moves to St George’s Park in Gqberha.

This event, which is expected to start at 4 p.m. local time on a daytime slot, could be an intriguing challenge for both the hosts and the guests. However, both teams have enough talents in their arsenal to defeat a strong squad in challenging circumstances.

Except for a few players with experience, the two teams have a new-look roster and are ready to create an impact and win. The rookies and young players are especially keen to establish themselves as prospects for future selections.

The 2nd T20 match between India vs South Africa will take place on December 11th, 2023, at Saint George’s Park, Gqeberha.

Match Details to Note:

Match: India vs South Africa,2nd T20 match

Date: December 11th, 2023 (Tuesday)

Time: 08:30 PM IST

Venue: Saint George’s Park, Gqeberha.

India vs South Africa

India (Match Odds- 1.75)

Preview

The return of several familiar faces to the Indian team, particularly Shubman Gill, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohammed Siraj, and Kuldeep Yadav, will help the team with lots of options to choose from. Given that their replacement players were crucial in helping India secure a 4-1 series win against Australia, selectors are under immense pressure to choose the playing 11.

But as we can see, India is continuing with Yashashvi and Ruturaj as their opening duo. They’ll be looking to give this combo another run after the explosive beginnings they gave team India in the powerplay against Australia proved to be the difference in a few games. The wicketkeeper’s position is another topic of discussion. Ishan Kishan is unable to open and is likely to lose his place to Jitesh Sharma at number six with three openers in the lineup. The fact that Axar Patel was left off of the T20 squad for this tour indicates emphatically that Ravindra Jadeja will be playing in his place.

Even after Ravi Bishnoi’s good performance against the Australians, which propelled him to the top of the T20 bowling rankings, it is almost probable that Kuldeep Yadav will start ahead of him. Deepak Chahar’s potential absence means Mukesh Kumar may have another opportunity to secure a spot in the starting XI with Mohammed Siraj and Arshdeep Singh.

Full Squad:

Suryakumar Yadav (Captain), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Tilak Varma, Rinku Singh, Shreyas Iyer, Ishan Kishan (wk), Jitesh Sharma (wk), Ravindra Jadeja (VC), Washington Sundar, Ravi Bishnoi, Kuldeep Yadav, Arshdeep Singh, Mohd. Siraj, Mukesh Kumar, Deepak Chahar.

Players to watch out for in India vs South Africa:

Suryakumar Yadav

Surya is the new caption of the mighty Indian side. He recently won the series against Australia which will boost confidence but the Australian team was not the full team as most of them went home after the World Cup. If he manages to win the series in South Africa then it will be a great achievement. Everyone will be looking closely into the new captain and what he has to offer.

Kuldeep Yadav

Even after Ravi Bishnoi’s good performance against the Australians, which propelled him to the top of the T20 bowling rankings, it is almost probable that Kuldeep Yadav will start ahead of him. This proves how much faith the selection teams have in Kuldeep’s skill.

Possible Playing XI:

Yashasvi Jaiswal, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Shreyas Iyer, Suryakumar Yadav (C), Rinku Singh, Jitesh Sharma (wk), Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Arshdeep Singh, Mohd. Siraj, Mukesh Kumar.

South Africa (Match Odds- 2.10)

Preview

South Africa will be using these final four games as a platform for the forthcoming T20 World Cup because they have a lot of new players in the squad and fresh faces in the starting XI. Since Quinton De Kock is occupied with playing T20 in the BBL, Matthew Breetzke will bat first and keep wicket alongside Reeza Hendricks.

Captain Aiden Markram will start at number three, while Heinrich Klaasen will partner with David Miller and one of Tristan Stubbs or Donovan Ferreira to strengthen the middle order. Ferreira and Stubbs can both hit the ball with ease, but to sustain runs in the middle overs and accelerate in the late overs against Indian spinners, the squad needs someone to hit the ball. The SA team appears to be interested in seeing what Donovan Ferreira accomplishes in that capacity.

Two excellent all-round players are Andile Phehlukwayo and Marco Jansen, while Gerald Coetzee, the pacer, is capable of taking wickets when needed. The primary spinning option will be Keshav Maharaj, with captain Markram prepared to roll over with his teammates if necessary.

Full Squad:

Aiden Markram (Captain), Ottniel Baartman, Matthew Breetzke, Nandre Burger, Gerald Coetzee (1st and 2ndT20Is), Donovan Ferreira, Reeza Hendricks, Marco Jansen (1st and 2nd T20Is), Heinrich Klaasen, Keshav Maharaj, David Miller, Andile Phehlukwayo, Tabraiz Shamsi, Tristan Stubbs, and Lizaad Williams

Players to watch out for in India vs South Africa:

Aiden Markram

Captain Aiden Markram will start at number three adding firepower and leadership to the top order. He can deliver a good start and set the tone for the innings.

Gerald Coetzee

Gerald Coetzee, a 23-year-old making his World Cup debut, proved his mettle by outperforming well-known players like Kagiso Rabada and Lungi Ngidi. With 20 wickets in the competition, he broke the record and became the highest-taking South African in a single World Cup. He will be the player to watch out for.

Possible Playing XI:

Reeza Hendricks, Matthew Breetzke, Aiden Markram(C), Heinrich Klaasen(wk), David Miller, Donovan Ferreira, Marco Jansen, Andile Phelukwayo, Gerald Coetzee, Keshav Maharaj, Lizaad Williams.

India vs South Africa Head-to-Head:

There have been a total of 25 Twenty20 International matches between India and South Africa, with an overall head-to-head record that favors India. Only two of the IND vs SA T20I matches have resulted in a draw, giving Team India a 13-10 head-to-head record versus South Africa.

India vs South Africa Toss Prediction:

Although there isn’t a certain benefit to winning the toss and choosing to bat first at this location, most teams believe that it’s always a good idea to have runs on the board to put pressure on the side chasing when the pitch slows down. Thus, you should anticipate that the side that wins the toss will bat first.

India vs South Africa Pitch Report:

The circumstances in Gqeberha, a coastal city, are similar to several grounds back home, where the pitch is dry at first and scoring runs is easy, but then it slows down significantly with the ball not coming up to bat. This would make Indian bowlers and batsmen feel at home. Although the wicket and the playing surface at this ground require pace and spin, when spinners are employed from both ends, runs usually dry up in the middle overs.

India vs South Africa Match Report:

When it comes to match preparation, Team India is unquestionably in a stronger position than Team South Africa. They will be aiming to put on a show abroad, especially here where the circumstances are not as distant, after winning the series against Australia. After the World Cup, SA players start their first series, thus they might need some time to warm up and get over their rustiness.

India is predicted to win the match India vs South Africa at the odds of 1.75