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South Africa will look to challenge India in the upcoming five-match T20I series. Team India is currently on a roll in T20Is, having won all of their last 12 games in this format.
South Africa, currently ranked fourth in the ICC T20I rankings, will have to play out of their skins to beat the number one ranked T20I team on their home soil.
Out of the 15 T20Is played between these teams, India has won nine. South Africa, on the other hand, has managed to win the other six matches.
However, in India, South Africa has beaten India in three out of the four matches played so far.
South Africa's squad for the series is as under:
Temba Bavuma (captain), Quinton de Kock, Reeza Hendricks, Heinrich Klaasen, Keshav Maharaj, Aiden Markram, David Miller, Lungi Ngidi, Anrich Nortje, Wayne Parnell, Dwaine Pretorius, Kagiso Rabada, Tabraiz Shamsi, Tristan Stubbs, Rassie van der Dussen, Marco Jansen
Here is a detailed analysis of the South African squad:
Strength: Presence of players in squad who have tasted success in IPL 2022
The South African T20I squad boasts of players who have tasted success in IPL 2022.
David Miller was exceptional in the tournament and was among the main reasons why the Gujarat Titans won the coveted trophy. Miller, who played his 11th IPL season this year, scored 481 runs in this year's IPL, at an exceptional average of 68.71 and strike rate of 142.73.
He played the perfect role of a finisher and will be the key player for South Africa in the death overs.
Quinton de Kock also had success at the top of the order for Lucknow Super Giants. He amassed 508 runs in 15 innings in IPL 2022 at an average of 36.29 and strike rate of 148.97.
He scored a century and three half-centuries in the said tournament. De Kock has had success in the past also, while opening the batting against India, and will look to get off to flying starts in the power play overs.
Aiden Markram averaged a healthy 47.63 in IPL 2022. He scored three half-centuries and had a decent strike rate of 139.05 in the IPL 2022.
Kagiso Rabada, as always, was one of the top wicket-takers in the league. He picked up 23 wickets in IPL 2022 at an average of 17.65. KG has the knack of picking up wickets with the new ball in the power-play overs and is an exceptional death bowler.
Thus the four experienced players of South Africa have been in good form and will look to replicate the same in the T20I series against India.
Weakness: Inexperience of a few players on Indian soil
Apart from the likes of De Kock, Rabada, and Miller, the rest of the South African squad consists of those who have either played a handful or no T20Is in India.
The likes of Marco Jansen and Tristan Stubbs are yet to make their debut in T20Is. Though both the players were a part of IPL 2022, it is still difficult for any young player to make their T20I debut in India due to the conditions being different from their homeland.
The likes of Reeza Hendricks, Temba Bavuma, Tabraiz Shamsi, Dwaine Pretorius, and Rassie van der Dussen have all played just two T20Is on Indian soil. Anrich Nortje has played a solitary T20I in India.
Heinrich Klaseen, Keshav Maharaj, Aiden Markram, Wayne Parnell, and Lungi Ngidi are yet to play an international T20 game on Indian soil.
Thus, the team is considerably inexperienced as far as playing T20Is on Indian soil is concerned.
Opportunities: South African spinners to make a mark on Indian soil
Shamsi has been exceptional for South Africa in T20Is. In 2021, he picked up 36 wickets at an average of 13.36 and had an exceptional economy rate of 5.73. He is the top-ranked bowler in T20Is as per the ICC rankings and has tasted success in the UAE, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, West Indies, and Ireland.
He has played just two T20Is in India and averages 21, having picked up two wickets. He will look to make his mark on Indian soil and taste success on pitches that are likely to suit him. Impressive performances in the T20I series could be an opportunity for Shamsi to earn a contract for IPL 2023.
Keshav Maharaj has only played eight T20Is to date but has been an asset for South Africa with the ball. He has picked up six wickets at an average of 28.33 but has a phenomenal economy rate of 5.83.
Maharaj, along with Shamsi, have successfully tied down the batsmen, especially in the middle-overs, and will look to make an impression on Indian soil.
Threat: Playing Indian spinners could be a challenge
As mentioned above, apart from Miller and De Kock, most of the other Proteas batsmen have hardly played T20Is in India.
It could be a challenge for the Proteas batsmen to play world-class Indian spinners. Yuzvendra Chahal, the Purple Cap winner in IPL 2022, will be raring to have a go against the South African batsmen. Kuldeep Yadav too had a successful IPL 2022 and has always been a wicket-taking option for India in the middle-overs.
Apart from the duo of Chahal and Kuldeep, Axar Patel too can create problems for the SA batsmen. The competition between the Indian spinners and the Proteas batsmen could be the highlight of the T20I series.
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Poll : Can South Africa beat India in the 5 match T20I series?
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