If you want to push senior players, you need to give match-winning performances: Parthiv Patel on India's struggles in T20I series against South Africa

Former Indian wicketkeeper Parthiv Patel is a bit concerned about India's performances so far against South Africa in the ongoing T20I series. The hosts are already 0-2 down in the five-match series and haven't quite been able to play to their full potential.

The Men in Blue are without their full-time captain Rohit Sharma as well as other senior players like Virat Kohli and Jasprit Bumrah, who have been rested. KL Rahul was also ruled out of the series due to an injury.

With the T20 World Cup coming up, it was a great opportunity for other players to make a strong claim, which they haven't been able to do.

Speaking to Cricbuzz, Parthiv Patel explained why it is important for these players to deliver match-winning performances if they want to put pressure on the selectors:

"The players playing will need to play incredibly well, because the likes of Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul, Virat Kohli and Jasprit Bumrah aren't playing. If you want to push such players you too need to perform extraordinarily well. So if you want to push senior players, you need to give match-winning performances."

Don't think India played badly: Ashish Nehra

Although the hosts lost both games comprehensively, former Indian pacer Ashish Nehra claimed that they weren't completely outplayed. Nehra pointed out to Cricbuzz how the Men in Blue scored over 200 in the first game and also managed to pick up three quick wickets in the second.

The left-arm pacer believes it's just the brilliance of South African batters like David Miller, Rassie van der Dussen and Heinrich Klaasen that cost the hosts both their games. On this, he stated:

"Even if you didn't have 2-3 of your important players, they too didn't have Markram and de Kock, who was injured. So they will take great confidence from their two wins ahead. India certainly have some problems to address, but I still won't say they played badly. But just that someone or the other from South Africa came and gave a sensational performance."

Rishabh Pant and his men will have the series on the line when they take on the visitors in the third T20I at Visakhapatnam on June 14.