"The South African batters will have trouble facing Indian bowlers" - Sanjay Bangar on the key battle of the upcoming India-South Africa clash

Former Indian batting coach Sanjay Bangar felt that the South African batters would struggle in overcoming the red-hot Indian bowling attack in Kolkata on Sunday.

The sides have been the most dominant through the 2023 World Cup, with Team India winning all seven games and the Proteas triumphing in all but one of their seven outings.

While both teams have almost all departments firing on all cylinders, the matchup is particularly enticing, with the destructive South African batting lineup facing off against an in-form Indian bowling attack.

Speaking to Star Sports ahead of the marquee encounter, Bangar felt the variety in the Indian attack would be too much for the South African batters to overcome.

"The South African batters will have trouble facing Indian bowlers. If you try to get past Bumrah, Siraj will get you. If you get past Shami, then Kuldeep will get you. So that's the kind of bowling attack that India has at the moment," said Bangar.

Wicketkeeper-batter Quinton de Kock is the leading run-scorer of the World Cup with 545 runs in seven games at an average of 77.85, including four centuries. The Proteas also boast three other batters - Rassie van der Dussen, Aiden Markram, and Heinrich Klaasen in the top 12 of the run-scoring charts.

However, the rampaging batting will have to contend with the red-hot pace duo of Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami, who are fifth and sixth in wickets for the tournament.

The latter has been in particularly other-worldly form, with 14 scalps in three outings, including two five-wicket hauls.

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"Fourth bowler or the fifth bowler is slightly a weak link" - Sanjay Bangar

Coetzee has been impressive in the middle overs for South Africa.

Sanjay Bangar further highlighted the difference in the bowling attacks by stating South Africa's fourth and fifth bowling options remain a weak link for the Indian batters to exploit.

While Marco Jansen has led the attack manfully, with 16 wickets in seven games, making him fourth on the wicket-taking charts, Kagiso Rabada has regained his best form with 11 scalps in six outings.

However, the surprise package for the Proteas has been the emergence of Gerald Coetzee, with 14 wickets in six games, bowling predominantly in the middle overs.

Yet, Bangar feels the overs from Coetzee and Keshav Maharaj could be where the Indian batters take advantage and breathe easy.

"If I have to compare both those bowling line ups, South Africa, maybe the fourth bowler or the fifth bowler is slightly a weak link, I would say and that's where Indian batters will certainly have it slightly easier when they're facing South African bowlers," said Bangar.

The Men in Blue have already qualified for the semi-final with their 302-run win over Sri Lanka, while the Proteas also have one foot in the semi-final door and will qualify with another victory.

It will also be the sixth meeting between the sides in an ODI World Cup, with South Africa holding a 3-2 edge.