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

Two contrasting versions of the T20I

 

Both India and South Africa had a sensational T20 World Cup 2024. They came through the group stage unbeaten and then topped their respective groups in the Super Eight before registering comfortable victories in the semi-finals. Even in the final, there was little to separate the two teams until the end.

 

However, since then, the fortunes of the two teams have taken different paths, especially in the T20Is.

 

Despite losing three players from the XI in the final to retirement, India have had a seamless transition with Suryakumar Yadav taking charge and the youngsters gelling well. They are currently on an 11-match winning streak, which includes a series win in Zimbabwe, series sweeps against Sri Lanka and Bangladesh and a win in the series opener against South Africa on Friday.

 

India played 23 T20Is this year and won 22, with the only loss coming against Zimbabwe in the first T20I in early July. And, more importantly, they have achieved many of these victories without their first-choice T20I players. They can equal their best streak of 12 (which they have achieved twice) if they manage to win the second T20I against South Africa in Gqeberha on Sunday.

 

At the other extreme is South Africa, which has had problems since that defeat in the World Cup final. Immediately after that defeat, they went down 3-0 to the West Indies in Tarouba, while their series against Ireland in Abu Dhabi ended 1-1. A defeat in Durban is unlikely to benefit their confidence.

 

South Africa’s biggest problem and one that helped them dominate the T20 World Cup was the brilliance with which the entire group came together. That is something they have been missing in the last few T20Is. Their captain Aiden Markram has struggled with form and they have also been missing some of their main players in the XI.

 

South Africa, now trailing 1-0 in the four-match series, will be desperate to win again at a venue where they have had success. They have recorded three of four T20I wins in Gqeberha, including one against India last year. Can they do it against an Indian team that is on a golden streak in T20Is?

 

forms guide

 

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

 

In the spotlight: Gerald Coetzee and Arshdeep Singh

 

In the opening T20I, where all the other South African bowlers were taken to the cleaners, Gerald Coetzee was the only one to provide any semblance of control. He was fiery, got good bounce and had the Indian batsmen on their toes. According to ESPNcricinfo’s ball-by-ball data, 14 of his 24 deliveries were short or of good length and that helped him take wickets. Gqeberha’s surface is likely to help his bowling style.

 

Arshdeep Singh has been one of the key reasons behind India’s glorious T20 run in 2024. He has played just 15 matches and already has 29 wickets, the second highest for a player from a full member nation this year. Also in Gqeberha he has some records in sight. Arshdeep, currently fourth in the list of most T20I wickets for India with 88, has a chance to overtake Jasprit Bumrah (89) and Bhuvneshwar Kumar (90) and move up to second place behind Yuzvendra Chahal (96). With India scheduled to play three more T20Is this year, they also have a chance to claim the record for most wickets taken in a calendar year by an Indian pacer, currently held by Bhuvneshwar, who struck 37 in 2022.

 

Team News: Will India give Ramandeep a debut?

 

Nqabayomzi Peter looked in a bad mood in the opening T20I and could be replaced by Ottneil Baartman, who can boost the fast bowling attack. Reeza Hendricks missed the first T20I due to illness and if fit, is likely to return to the top of the order. It remains to be seen whether he replaces Ryan Rickelton or Patrick Kruger, who had a difficult outing in Durban, both with bat and ball.

 

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

 

It was a bit surprising to see India go with three spinners – Axar Patel, Ravi Bishnoi and Varun Chakravarthy. At Gqeberha, where the surface is likely to help with more pace, they could try to bring in Ramandeep Singh, who can play the finisher’s role and provide a few overs with his medium pace. India are unlikely to make any changes to their batting unit.

 

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

 

Field and conditions

 

In Gqeberha it rains a little, but it is not likely to affect the match. The surface is likely to have enough for fast players with good bounce and carry. The temperature is likely to be in the low to mid 20s on the Celsius scale.

 

Statistics and curiosities

 

  • Hardik Pandya, currently on 87 T20I wickets, has a chance to overtake Arshdeep (88), Bumrah (89) and Bhuvneshwar (90) and move to second place on India’s all-time T20I wicket-takers list.
  • Sanju Samson became just the fourth batsman to score successive T20I centuries in Durban. No batsman has scored three consecutive centuries in T20Is to date
  • Samson’s strike rate of 180.66 is the highest for any full member batsman in 2024 with a minimum of 300 runs.
  • India have an excellent T20I record against South Africa in South Africa: seven wins and three losses in ten matches

 

Quotes

 

“When you play against an opponent like South Africa, we know the energy they bring with them and they have a great team that plays very aggressive cricket. We just have to respect them and do what we are known for.” We are the world champions right now, so I think we have to play like that and we just have to take care of what is under our control and continue to look to dominate in this format, which we have been doing since the last moment. one year.”
Sanju Samson says India will continue to strive with the bat irrespective of the opposition

 

“We’ve just been in the final of a T20 World Cup. It’s a new team now. There’s a World Cup next year, so we need new blood. There’s a lot of talent, we’ve seen it. It’s just the guys need experience, “They need to hone their skills and we’ll be ready to go.”
Geraldine Coetzee Doesn’t think too much about South Africa’s recent loss of form

 

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