SA vs IND 2024/25, SA vs IND First T20I Match Preview


Big picture: T20 World Cup final rematch

In some ways, Friday’s T20I between South Africa and India is a grudge match. The last time these two teams met was in Barbados, in the final of the T20 World Cup 2024. India had no business winning that match when South Africa needed 30 off 30 balls with six wickets in hand. But Jasprit Bumrah, Hardik Pandya and company snatched victory and the trophy from South Africa, leaving them heartbroken.

In another sense, it is not. Many protagonists from that final will not be in action in this series. Of India’s eleven for the final, only four (Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya Axar Patel and Arshdeep Singh) are part of the current squad. South Africa will also be without Quinton de Kock, Kagiso Rabada, Anrich Nortje and Tabraiz Shamsi.

Therefore, this four-game series might seem inconsequential. But don’t forget, the next T20 World Cup is just 15 months away and teams have already started preparing.

India recently faced a shocking whitewash at home at the hands of New Zealand, but that was in Test cricket. Their T20I team, which has never been more different from their Test team, is coming off a resounding 3-0 series win against Bangladesh. Continuing their attacking pattern from the World Cup, they posted a mammoth 297 for 6 in their most recent T20I.

South Africa has yet to recover from its defeat in the final. Since then, they lost 3-0 to the West Indies and drew 1-1 against Ireland in the format. Now playing at home, can they recover?

forms guide

South Africa LWLLL (last five T20Is, most recent first)
India WWWW

In the spotlight: Aiden Markram and Tilak Varma

Aiden Markram crossed 25 only once in 14 T20I innings this year. His tally in the format is 201, with an average of 16.75 and a strike rate of 118.23. This is in complete contrast to his career numbers: average 32.17, strike rate 144.62. Ahead of the first T20I against India, he said he was in a good mental state. Both he and South Africa would like that to turn into careers.

A couple of freak hand injuries earlier this year had put Tilak Varma’s career on hold. While he’s now back in the mix, the competition has become intense. He was drafted in for the Bangladesh T20Is as an injury replacement for Shivam Dube, but did not get any matches. After that, he led India in the Emerging Asia Cup in Oman, where his results were anything but glamorous: 117 runs in four innings at a strike rate of 120.61. Can he face a much tougher opponent?

Team News: Debuts for Simelane, Peter and Ramandeep?

South Africa could debut all-rounder Andile Simelane and player Nqabayomzi Peter. Simelane plays local cricket at Kingsmead, which could come in handy.

South Africa (probable): 1 Reeza Hendricks, 2 Ryan Rickelton (wk), 3 Aiden Markram (captain), 4 Tristan Stubbs, 5 Heinrich Klaasen, 6 David Miller, 7 Marco Jansen/Gerald Coetzee, 8 Andile Simelane, 9 Nqabayomzi Peter, 10 Keshav Maharaj, 11 years old Ottneil Baartman

India are likely to hand over all-rounder Ramandeep Singh his T20I cap. Axar Patel should also get a chance after warming the bench during the New Zealand Test series.

India (probable): 1 Sanju Samson (wk), 2 Abhishek Sharma, 3 Suryakumar Yadav (captain), 4 Tilak Varma, 5 Hardik Pandya, 6 Rinku Singh, 7 Ramandeep Singh, 8 Axar Patel, 9 Avesh Khan, 10 Arshdeep Singh, 11 Varun Chakravarthy

Course and conditions: Runs ‘n Rains

South Africa does not have fond memories of Durban. Last year, Australia whitewashed them with a series of three T20Is, all played at this venue. It’s a high-scoring place; the average first innings total in the last seven T20Is here is 184. However, the weather could spoil things: there is a 40% chance of rain on Friday. The last time India was going to play a T20I here, in December 2023, rain did not even allow the toss.

Stats and trivia: Suryakumar’s scoring rate

Quotes

“It’s been a trying few months. Obviously we’ve addressed the reasons behind it, the opportunities for growth, the things that will make cricketers better in South Africa over a long period of time. But as captain, obviously, it hurts. Your pride and I are very proud to wear this badge and we want to take it forward and obviously we want to win matches and series for South Africa, but you look at the bigger picture, you look at how much it is going to help cricket in South Africa moving forward. “Sometimes you have to go through tough times and hopefully there will be some light at the end of the tunnel for us as a team.”
Aiden Markram on South Africa’s poor bilateral record this year

“It has always been a challenge to play against South Africa, be it in the T20 World Cup or any bilateral match. The last time we were here, we had a good series. Hopefully, we will get a match.” [tomorrow]; Last time we missed the game here. But yeah, it’s always fun and challenging and both sides enjoy having that great competition.”
Suryakumar Yadav on playing South Africa for the first time since the T20 World Cup final

Hemant Brar is deputy editor of ESPNcricinfo



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