After two months of IPL 2022 action, India-South Africa T20I series of five-match T20I series commencing on Thursday at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on their way to the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in Australia later this year.
The first match of the series will serve as a springboard for the hosts to extend their 12-0 T20I winning streak to 13, a new record in the format. The series, however, will not be easy for the KL Rahul-led team, which is without Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, Ravindra Jadeja, Suryakumar Yadav, and Deepak Chahar.
The Proteas, led by Temba Bavuma, are at full strength, and having only lost one T20I match to India in the last two bilateral meetings, India will be well aware that the visitors are not to be underestimated.
Here are five significant match-ups to keep an eye on in the next series:
India-South Africa T20I series Challenge 1 : Rishabh Pant vs Anrich Nortje
The top challenge in our India-South Africa T20I series id between Pant and Nortje. Pant’s aggressive style and Nortje’s tearaway pace will now be pitted against each other for only the second time in international cricket, after teaming up with Delhi Capitals in the IPL 2022. Pant, who scored 340 runs for Delhi in IPL 2022 at an average of 30.91 and a strike rate of 151.79, will be looking to boost the ante in the middle order. Nortje, on the other hand, has made a strong comeback from injury to take nine wickets in six games for Delhi and will be looking to continue his fine form against India’s vice-captain in this series.
India-South Africa T20I series Challenge 2 : KL Rahul vs Kagiso Rabada
Both Rahul and Rabada had great returns from IPL 2022. While Rahul amassed 616 runs at an average of 51.33 and a strike rate of 135.38 for Lucknow Super Giants, Rabada shined by picking 23 wickets at an economy rate of 8.46. The duo will be facing off against each other for the first time in international cricket, but in T20s, Rahul had got out to Rabada twice, including once in this year’s IPL, which sets up an interesting battle between India’s skipper and South Africa’s pace spearhead.
India-South Africa T20I series Challenge 3 : Quinton de Kock vs Bhuvneshwar Kumar
De Kock had a fantastic IPL 2022 season, scoring 508 runs for Lucknow Super Giants at an average of 36.29 and a strike rate of 148.97. Meanwhile, Bhuvneshwar scalped 12 wickets at an economy rate of 7.34 in 14 matches. But Bhuvneshwar Kumar, India’s most seasoned pacer, will be itching to disturb de Kock with his variations in the first six overs of the series against the Proteas, something he has done twice before in international cricket. De Kock, on the other hand, will like to carry his IPL 2022 form into the India series.
India-South Africa T20I series Challenge 4 : Temba Bavuma vs Yuzvendra Chahal
South Africa’s white-ball captain, Bavuma, will face up against India’s leading wicket-taker in T20I cricket, leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal. Chahal, who recently won the Purple Cap for the IPL 2022 season, took 27 wickets in 17 games at an economy rate of 7.75. Chahal would hope to carry on his fine form from the IPL 2022 and beat Bavuma, as he did in the ODI series between the two sides in January this year.
India-South Africa T20I series Challenge 5 : David Miller vs Harshal Patel
David Miller was a key member of the Gujarat Titans, who won the IPL 2022 championship on their home turf in Ahmedabad. Miller scored 481 runs in the IPL 2022 season, with an average of 68.71 and a strike rate of 142.73. While batting in the middle order, he will face Harshal Patel, a fast bowler and death overs specialist who took 19 wickets with an economy rate of 7.66 in IPL 2022. Furthermore, everytime Patel has been in the playing eleven, India has won every T20I. Patel’s attempt to outwit an in-form Miller will be fascinating to see.