India vs SA, 2018: 4 strategies that India can adopt in the T20I series

The Indian juggernaut has achieved a pre-eminent level of dominance in ODI cricket after having secured the ODI series win against South Africa. In the previous year and a half, Virat Kohli and his men have played a phenomenal brand of cricket against every one of the teams.

In the wake of overwhelming performances in the six-match ODI series, the visitors are all set to go up against the hosts in a three-match T20I series.

South Africa began the tour emphatically by beating India in the Test series. But the Indian team bounced back with some shining exhibitions in the ODI series, crushing the home side 5-1.

Let us now have a look at four strategies that India will look to adopt at the start of the T20I series.

#1 Rest Jasprit Bumrah

Bumrah has been an useful asset for the Indian team on this tour. Having played all the matches so far, Bumrah should be allowed a decent amount of rest in the T20Is with a long season ahead.

It won't be a bad idea to give a chance to Shardul Thakur in the T20I format. Bumrah's exclusion wouldn't hurt India much and it would allow them to test their bench strength.

#2 Let MS Dhoni play up the order

When it comes to T20I cricket, MS Dhoni is the boss. But there is no doubt that Dhoni's experience with the bat has gone underused.

Switching to T20Is, the team management would like MS to play up the order and make most of his batting. This will give both Dhoni much more time in the middle to try and build an inning and may also be able to answer a few questions that are cropping up about the middle order batting in recent times.

#3 Play Suresh Raina at No.4 spot

Suresh Raina is making a comeback to the Indian team after almost a year. Raina played his last international match at Bengaluru back in February last year where he scored an impressive 63 against England in the final match of the T20I series. However, he failed to clear the Yo-Yo test which sidelined him from the international cricket for almost a year.

Raina would be keen on cementing his place in the team. Thus, it would be a good move from the team management to play Raina at No.4 and end the middle-order woes for the team.

#4 Give Axar Patel some match-time

The Indian team management should now take a gander at acquiring Axar Patel in the playing XI while leaving out on one of the spin-twins. Patel is now a consistent part of a young spin troika that represents the Men in Blue.

Unfortunately, Axar has been warming the bench for quite some time now. Thus having clinched the ODI series comprehensively, the team management would like to give Axar some match-time in the T20I series.