India vs South Africa, 3rd T20I: Top 3 Player battles to watch out for

After India coasted to victory against South Africa at Mohali, the action now shifts to M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru for the third and final T20I of the series.

A ground that is no stranger to most of the players on both sides, the series is culminating to have an exciting finish. After defeating the visitors by seven wickets in the second T20I, the Men in Blue will be looking to end the series with a 2-0 scoreline in their favour. The Proteas, on the other hand, will want to end their T20I campaign on a high and carry that momentum into the Test series.

Ahead of the final T20I to be played on September 22, 2019 (Sunday), here are the top 3 player battles to look out for.

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#1 Quinton de Kock vs Deepak Chahar

South Africa skipper Quinton de Kock (L) and young pacer Deepak Chahar (R) facing off will be interesting to watch

The last time these two teams met, right-arm bowler Deepak Chahar was the only Indian bowler who could catch the South African captain by surprise with his smartly deceptive slower deliveries.

De Kock, who was looking in good form, went after almost all the Indian bowlers. Although the skipper fell to a mistimed shot off Saini, he did seem to struggle against Chahar's slower deliveries and movement he had with the new ball.

Having scored a half-century De Kock had a good rhythm going from the start of the first innings, playing stylish cover drives and attacking the Indian bowlers. But he struggled to play Chahar who finished his four overs with figures of 4-0-22-2.

We have all witnessed Chahar's ability to make the opposition batsman feel uncomfortable before as he was picked by Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the Indian Premier League (IPL). He became a permanent fixture in CSK, and with his recent performances for the Indian team, he is a dangerous bowler De Kock would be wary of.

The pitch at Bengaluru, as we all know, is a batsman's paradise. With totals above 200 being scored almost every game, it will be interesting to see how Chahar will fare against an in-form De Kock.

Also see – World Test Championship points table

#2 Virat Kohli vs Kagiso Rabada

Will Virat Kohli (L) get the better of Kagiso Rabada (R)?

It is of no doubt that Indian skipper Virat Kohli is one of the best batsmen of this generation. Whether it be against the top seamers or spinners, the Indian captain seems to always find a way to get an upper hand on the bowler. This was once again the case in the second T20I against South Africa.

Although the visitors brought a mix of youth and experience, there was one name that stood out in the bowling line-up of the Proteas: Kagiso Rabada. The 24-year-old right-arm fast bowler, rose up the ranks quickly to become one of the most successful fast bowlers of his time.

With quality seamers like Dale Steyn and Morne Morkel setting the standard for South Africa, Rabada found his cadence in his bowling and has been a nightmare for all his oppositions.

But an important aspect to look at in this battle is both these players' current form. Kohli hit a blistering unbeaten 72 off 52 balls in the last T20I, while Rabada surprisingly went wicketless.

Another aspect to be taken into consideration is each player's history at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. Kohli has been a part of the IPL franchise, Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) since its inception in 2008.

While Rabada first joined the IPL in 2017. Kohli's experience at the ground might sway the battle in favour of the Indian skipper.

Knowing Rabada's ability to move the ball at speeds as high as 147 kmph, he will be ready to get back among the wickets in the final T20I. This will be one battle to watch out for.

#3 Rishabh Pant vs Tabraiz Shamsi

Will Rishabh Pant (L) find his form again or will spinner Tabraiz Shamsi (R) continue his good form?

You might be wondering about this particular battle and why it makes the list. Neither of these players have had a lasting impact on the international circuit as of now. But that is also one of the reasons which could make this contest an interesting one.

Rishabh Pant has received a lot of criticism for his recent abysmal form. After the T20 and Test series against West Indies last month, the form of the Delhi wicketkeeper has not gotten any better.

It is unclear if this is just plain bad luck or his poor choice of shots. A lot of people would say the latter but will the third and final T20I against South Africa see a change in Pant's form?

In the game of cricket, it is quite rare to be a left-arm Chinaman bowler. The 29-year-old Tabraiz Shamsi is one of them.

Having made his debut in T20Is in 2017, Shamsi has been the talk of the town in recent times. Starting his T20I career on a high getting the scalp of Kohli.

With veteran spinner Imran Tahir being at his best form, Shamsi did not get many chances to be part of the Playing XI. His distinct bowling style makes him a dangerous bowler.

Additionally, knowing that Pant is a better player of seam than spin, further adds some spice to the contest. Having scored only 74 runs in his last T20s it has not been smooth sailing for the Delhi wicketkeeper.

While South Africa didn't have a lot of runs to defend in the last game, Shamsi was the pick of the bowlers with figures of 3-0-19-1, and he has shown promise with the ball.

With all this being said, there is a possibility of Pant redeeming himself in the final T20I and move himself out of this rut or Shamsi could better his performance from the last game and be hungry for the wicket of the wicket-keeper-batsman.

Altogether this battle makes for a nail-biting night.