South Africa beat India by seven wickets in the opening T20 International of the five-match series on Thursday (June 9), owing to scorching half-centuries from David Miller and Rassie van der Dussen.
Despite India’s high hopes, South Africa’s Heinrich Klaasen’s brilliance outweighed Bhuvneshwar Kumar‘s four-wicket haul as India fell to South Africa in the second T20I at the Barabati Stadium in Cuttack on Sunday (June 12). All three of India’s remaining matches are now must-win contests.
India’s batting performance was dismal, with the openers unable to get the team off to a strong start in the powerplay.
If India’s bowling let them down in the first match, their batting performance lost them the second.
Axar Patel, the left-arm spinner, conceded 40 runs in four overs while picking up one wicket in the first match of the series. He does have a talent for bowling wicket-to-wicket, but if the spinners in Cuttack had any help, Axar would have been a nightmare to deal with, but he gave up 19 runs in the one over he was given.
With Axar struggling, it would be intriguing if team management grants young leg spinner Ravi Bishnoi, a Lucknow Super Giants player, a chance in the middle.
Avesh Khan has been the most economical of the frontline bowling attack, conceding 35 runs in four overs during the first match of the series and he hasn’t been terrible in the second match. However, if India sends in Arshdeep Singh for the third match, he will have a greater impact considering his IPL journey and his ability to bowl in the death overs.
Probable playing XI
Ishan Kishan, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Shreyas Iyer, Rishabh Pant (c & wk), Hardik Pandya, Dinesh Karthik, Ravi Bishnoi, Harshal Patel, Arshdeep Singh, Yuzvendra Chahal, Bhuvneshwar Kumar