Predicted South African XI for the T20Is against India

Du Plessis will lead the South Africans in the three-match T20 series against IndiaSouth Africa is all set for their longest tour (3 T20Is, 5 ODIs, and 4 tests) to India and have arrived in the Asian country already. Though the transition from the fast and bouncy pitches to the slow turning tracks of the subcontinent is quite difficult, the Indian conditions are very much familiar to many players in the South African line-up, thanks to the Indian Premier League. For the visitors, India is like a home away from their home.The tour, which runs for more than 2 months, will be kick-started with a T20 on October 2nd at Dharamsala and it will be their first-ever Twenty20 international against the Men in Blue in India.Their Test dominance is obviously scary, but the hosts can give a tough fight to the Proteas in the shorter format of the game. In fact, South Africa is the 6th ranked team in T20s, a fact which is unjustifiable considering the amount of talent they possess.The Proteas will be looking to better their rankings, and the 3 T20s played between October 2 and 8 will also serve as a good platform for them to test their skills before the next year’s T20 World Cup, which is going to be held in India, as stated by the skipper Faf du Plessis. They have rested their big guns - Morne Morkel and Dale Steyn for the T20s, letting the fresh blood of Kagiso Rabada and Marchant de Lange to face the sub-continent heat.South Africa will be eager to make amends for the last year’s T20 World Cup semi-final loss when Virat Kohli made a mockery of their deadly bowling attack. But they have great potential to strike back and are certainly a much better team than the rankings suggests. Let’s have a look at the predicted eleven of South Africa for the T20Is.

#1 Hashim Amla

Hashim Amla can provide a solid start

A legend in ODIs and Tests, Hashim Amla is a different person altogether in T20s. An average of 25.46 with only 1 fifty in 28 innings doesn’t do justice to the talent of this opening batsman. He didn’t even get a bid in the last IPL auction due to his lack of power-hitting abilities.

He was replaced by AB de Villiers in the T20 series against Bangladesh in a bid to boost the scoring rate from the start of the innings. However, he came back to the team in the New Zealand series and has also been included in the T20 squad to India.

Amla can provide stability at the top of the order while other batsmen can bat freely around him. Unless South Africa tries again to experiment with De Villiers at the top, we can see Amla opening the innings for the visitors.

#2 Quinton de Kock (WK)

De Kock is in good form

“If you want to get back to form, play against Indian bowlers’ – I think Quinton de Kock has taken this funny quote a bit too seriously. India has always been the favorite opposition of this precociously talented youngster. His hat-trick of ODI centuries against India in 2013 still remains a haunting memory for every Indian cricket fan.

Ironically, after being dropped from the New Zealand’s tour to South Africa, the southpaw found his touch in the series against India A, scoring 3 centuries in a row for his team. He will be looking to carry his fine form into the coming matches against the Men in Blue. His glove work is pretty decent and he can also provide a brisk start for the Proteas.

#3 Faf du Plessis (Captain)

Du Plessis is well aware of the conditions in India

A vital cog in the Chennai Super Kings’ line-up, Faf du Plessis knows Dhoni’s game better than any other South African. His average of 42.36 and a strike rate of 135.75 is nothing short of amazing. Adept at playing both pace and spin, he will be a tough nut to crack for the hosts, especially considering his familiarity to the Indian conditions.

A charismatic batsman, he can keep the scoreboard ticking with quick singles and doubles, producing occasional boundaries at his will. He can also pull off blinders and stunning run-outs at crucial junctures with his incredible athleticism and presence of mind. Currently, the South African skipper is at the 4th place in the ICC T20 rankings.

#4 AB de Villiers

De Villiers will be the prime target for the Indians

AB de Villiers is a magician with a magic willow. He defies physics when he leaps and rewrites statistical theories when he takes his sword. Arguably the best batsman in the world, the bowlers haven’t yet found any cure to his insanity. The father of innovative shots, he will undoubtedly be the prime target of Dhoni and his men.

However, the fact that this mercurial batsman averages a tad below 23 and his strike rate is just 125 in T20s is something inexplicable. What’s more intriguing is that the No:1 ODI batsman is currently at the 40th position in the ICC official T20 rankings.

But taking him light weighted on the basis of these stats will be a sign of dull-wittedness. If he activates the IPL mode, there won’t be much for the bowlers to do other than watching those creative shots all around the park.

#5 JP Duminy

Duminy will be more than a handy all-rounder in the Indian conditions

Duminy was the lone warrior for the Delhi Daredevils both with the bat and the ball in IPL 8. A breath-taking fielder, he is one of the most experienced members in the South African squad. An elegant stroke maker, Duminy is also capable of clearing the ropes with brute power.

There will be no stopping Duminy when he is on song and will be more than handy with his off-spin on the Indian turfs. He averages 35.75 from 56 T20I innings and has 16 T20I scalps to his name. This left-hander averages more than 40 in the IPL and is definitely an all-rounder to watch out for.

#6 David Miller

Miller will be expected to play the finisher’s role

A quintessential hard-hitting left-hander in the Proteas squad, David Miller is extremely devastating towards the back end of the innings. Though he doesn’t have much to boast of in terms of his international statistics, an IPL average of 42.54 at a strike rate of 147 gives him the nod ahead of Farhaan Behardien.

His weakness against quality off-spin is a well-known fact and the series in India will be a litmus test for the southpaw. He too has a plethora of IPL experience, and along with Glenn Maxwell he has anchored numerous innings for Kings XI Punjab with his destructive batting. He will be playing the role of a finisher for the visitors.

#7 Albie Morkel

Albie Morkel might play as a seam-bowling all-rounder

Albie Morkel should consider himself incredibly lucky as he was drafted into the T20 squad only after David Wiese was ruled out due to a fractured arm. The 34-year-old could play as a seam-bowling all-rounder in place of the injured Wiese – his first T20I in 18 months.

Morkel came into the international scenario as the next Lance Klusener, but he couldn’t live up to the expectations that were put on him. Though he had been out of contention for quite a while, his experience of playing 49 T20Is might give him an edge over the aggressive middle order batsman-cum-off-break bowler Khaya Zondo who’s looking to make his debut.

His ability to play the big shots under pressure might help the Proteas in the slog overs.

#8 Imran Tahir

The subcontinent conditions will be well suited to Tahir’s bowling

Currently the No. 1 ODI bowler in the world, Imran Tahir can exploit the sub-continent conditions to a large extent. Though he had a slump in form recently, a couple of quality performances against New Zealand in the ODIs earned him a spot in the T20 squad. He has to make good use of this opportunity as the leg-break bowler Eddie Leie is knocking at the door to take the place if he fails to deliver.

Along with Duminy, his vicious leg-breaks and deceptive wrong-uns can pose a big threat to the Indians on the turning pitches. He has a pretty good track record in T20Is to back his call, with 25 wickets from 16 matches at an average of 14.68.

#9 Marchant de Lange

The T20 series will be the ideal opportunity for the lanky pacer to showcase his skills

Marchant de Lange, the speedster from the northern town of Tzaneen, hasn’t got many opportunities since his debut in 2012. Although he has 8 wickets from 3 ODIs at an average of 13.87, his performances remained underrated for a long time. He played his last T20 against West Indies in January 2015 when he claimed 2-26 in his 4 overs.

Chris Morris, backed by his big-hitting ability is a strong contender for this spot, but if the skipper decides to go with the performances till date, Lange should make the cut. His ability to bowl consistently over 140kph along with troubling bounce by virtue of his height can make things tough for the hosts.

#10 Kagiso Rabada

A golden chance for the youngster to cement his spot

Big time beckons for Kagiso Rabada as the 20-year-old has risen rapidly in the world of cricket with figures ranging from 6-25 in the U-19 World Cup semi-final to 9-33 in a first-class innings. He didn’t stop there as he then made his ODI debut against Bangladesh in a mind-blowing fashion, with figures 6-16 in 8 overs including a hat-trick, to become only the 2nd player in the ODI history to achieve this feat. He has been in good rhythm since then, snaring 5 scalps in 2 T20Is against the Kiwis.

From 14 first-class matches, he has a whopping 60 wickets to his credit. Pace and precision are the main weapons in the armoury of this young gun. In the absence of Steyn, this is a golden opportunity for the youngster to cement his place in the team.

#11 Kyle Abbott

Kyle Abbott will be the spearhead of Proteas’ pace attack

Kyle Abbott took the international stage by storm with figures of 7-29 against Pakistan in the first innings of the 3rd Test at Centurion in 2013. It had been a dream debut for the tearaway quick as it was an absolute exhibition of speed and swing on a spicy surface.

Abbott has the ability to extract pace and bounce even from slow wickets and his yorkers are quite effective at the death. His 3/20 against Bangladesh in the 2nd T20I in Dhaka is a testimony of his repertoire.

But 11 wickets from 12 T20Is isn’t quite reflecting his real potential. He has a lot of work to do and with Steyn and Morkel being rested, he has to take the responsibility of being the spearhead of the pace bowling attack of the Proteas.