IND vs SA: Team Indias final run before T20 World Cup starts here

CUTTACK: India has 10 T20 Internationals in hand before the World Cup begins in February next, and it’s time for a dress rehearsal before the final act gets underway with two months to go. Scheduled to begin their T20 World Cup title defence against the US at Mumbai’s Wankhede on Feb 7, Suryakumar Yadav’s team takes on Aiden Markram’s South Africa in the first of the five-match series at Barabati Stadium on Tuesday.

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The Men in Blue will have their focus firmly on fine-tuning a champion squad that they hope will be able carry the weight of expectations before the home crowd, but the attention in Cuttack will chiefly be trained on the return of vice-captain Shubman Gill, who was out with a neck injury in the first Test against South Africa in Kolkata on Nov 14. “I’m feeling much better. I think the day that I came here, from that day till today, I’ve had quite a bit of skill sessions and some training sessions. So, I feel much, much better,” Gill told bcci.tv. India will be further bolstered with the return of Hardik Pandya, too back from injury.

India will play another five-match T20I series against New Zealand in Jan next year, and collectively and individually, the 360-degree man would certainly like to make the most of the opportunity. Having won 26 of the completed 30 T20I games following the 2024 T20 World Cup win in the Caribbean, Yadav’s men already have a staggering form and record.

Gill’s return after missing a month’s action will forge a potent opening stand with his best friend Abhishek Sharma who is in stupendous form. Playing Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy for Punjab, the southpaw amassed 304 runs at a strike rate of almost 250. Averaging close to 51, the flamboyant opener’s 148 off 52 balls against Bengal was the highlight of his SMAT exploits this season.

The middle order looks settled, too, barring a choice between pace-bowling all-rounders Pandya and Shivam Dubey. Though he is fit to play and practised alone on Sunday for over an hour, Pandya was absent during Monday’s afternoon training session.

Tilak Varma and wicketkeeper-batter Sanju Samson are certain to keep their spots along with the captain, who will be eager to fire on all cylinders leaving behind his below-par returns with the bat in recent times. The T20I skipper has failed to score a half century in his last 20 innings and five SMAT matches, where he scored only 165 runs.

Left-arm spinning all-rounder Axar Patel is an automatic choice with his ability to bat at different positions. Rested in the ODI series, Jasprit Bumrah will lead the two-pacer attack alongside left-arm seamer Arshdeep Singh, while Kuldeep Yadav, with his recent form and exploits, looks likely to partner Varun Chakravarthy in the spin bowling department.

South Africa, missing key players — batter Tony de Zorzi and pacer Kwena Maphaka — due to injuries, will be powered by the return of Anrich Nortje after 16 months. The pacer will make an international comeback after playing the 2024 T20 World Cup final against India last. Enduring a poor form in the T20Is following the 2024 World Cup final loss to India, inform captain Markram, pace bowling all-rounders Marco Jansen and Corbin Bosch will carry the Proteas’ hopes of good preparation ahead of the T20 World Cup.

With a red-soil pitch replacing the traditional black-soil one this time, the Barabati track is likely to offer more bounce, and balls will travel fast, giving enough reasons to hope for a run-fest here on Tuesday evening. But bowlers will face usual difficulties with the dew setting in early during this time of the year.

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