India vs South Africa 2022: Young Men in Blue hungry for success against Proteas

India will host South Africa in a five-game T20I series. The team will be captained by Rishabh Pant and will hope to avenge India’s white-ball defeats in South Africa earlier this year. Here’s a preview of the series. 

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As India hosts South Africa, there are plenty of players to watch. India has gone into the series with some seniors rested, which means there will be opportunities for Arshadeep Singh and Umran Malik. On the other hand, the likes of Harshal Patel and Bhuveneshwar Kumar will have a chance to solidify their place for the ICC T20 World Cup later this year. IPL Purple Cap winner Yuzvendra Chahal will also look to confirm his place as the first-choice spinner with another good showing in this series. Captain Rishabh Pant will also be gunning for runs. Here’s the preview for the series.

Squad Composition
India will go into the series with seven batting options along with Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, and Venkatesh Iyer playing as all-rounders. Captain Rishabh Pant is expected to keep wickets. India has taken a four-spin option in the bowling department with Yuzvendra Chahal, Ravi Bishnoi, and Axar Patel. India will go with a five-seam bowling option in the pace department, with Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Harshal Patel, Avesh Khan, Arshdeep Singh, and Umran Malik. In contrast, South Africa has selected eight batters along with seven bowlers.

Strengths and Weaknesses
India’s top-order will likely miss the presence of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. However, the middle-order looks very strong with Shreyas Iyer, who was a man of the series in the last T20I series India played. Hardik Pandya, Deepak Hooda, and Dinesh Karthik are coming off great IPL seasons with the bat. Pant has not been in the best of form, but he can be a game-changer, and his explosive batting is a crucial component for this team.

South Africa is mainly playing the team that almost reached the semi-final of the T20 World Cup in 2021. Like India, its middle-order will be a strength with David Miller. Rassie van der Dussen will be an explosive one to handle, especially since Miller returned to form in the recently concluded IPL 2022.

Records/milestones that can be scripted/attained
- India can become the first team to win 13 consecutive T20 International matches with a win in the opening T20I.
- Pant needs 17 runs to become the 11th player to reach 700 T20 International runs for India.
- With five more wickets, spinner Tabraiz Shamsi can become South Africa’s second-leading wicket-taker in T20 Internationals.
- Van der Dussen needs 67 runs more to complete 1,000 T20Is runs.
- Rabada needs a wicket more to bag 50 T20I wickets.

Squads
India - Ruturaj Gaikwad, Ishan Kishan, Deepak Hooda, Shreyas Iyer, Rishabh Pant (c & wk), Dinesh Karthik (wk), Hardik Pandya (vc), Venkatesh Iyer, Yuzvendra Chahal, Axar Patel, Ravi Bishnoi, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Harshal Patel, Avesh Khan, Arshdeep Singh and Umran Malik.
South Africa – Temba Bavuma (c), Reeza Hendricks, Aiden Markram, David Miller, Rassie van der Dussen, Wayne Parnell, Dwaine Pretorius, Marco Jansen, Quinton de Kock (wk), Heinrich Klaasen (wk), Tristan Stubbs, Keshav Maharaj, Lungi Ngidi, Anrich Nortje, Kagiso Rabada, andTabraiz Shamsi.