Cricket | T20 | T20I | India | South Africa | South Africa Tour of India, 2022 | 2022 T20 World Cup
Crowds' chants and cheering will be volume high as India prepare to take on the Proteas on 9th June in Delhi as part of the five-match T20I series. With BCCI allowing 100% attendance across all the five venues, things seem to be returning to normal. This series if necessary will throw some light on the youngsters as they desperately prepare for claiming a flight to Australia for the T20 World Cup later this year. Earlier, the selectors decided to rest some stalwarts including Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and Jasprit Bumrah for this series. This meant that the reigns of captaincy be handed to the multi-dimensional KL Rahul. RCB's wicketkeeper batsmen Dinesh Karthik & GT's captain Hardik Pandya are returning to the Indian side.
What is DK's role?
There have been a lot of speculations on DK's role. While I think, he certainly gets a spot in the setup, how is the team going to use him? As a finisher, who dismantles the bowlers at death and makes them look timid or as a backup wicketkeeper?
Multiple options in the middle-order
The other middle-order batters in the squad include the low in confidence Venkatesh Iyer, the consistent Shreyas Iyer and Deepak Hooda who had wonderful outings in the recently concluded IPL. With Dinesh Karthik, Rishabh Pant and Hardik Pandya making up the core, it may allow Shreyas to bat at No. 3 and may not allow the rest a spot in the XI.
Acing the pace department
The pace battery is led by the experienced Bhuvneshwar Kumar with Harshal Patel retaining his spot. An interesting stat: India has won all the T20Is that Harshal was part of. With his luck factor, can we make it 13-0? Pace sensation Umran Malik has been added to the Indian squad for the first time, but will the team use him in the middle overs like his IPL team SRH used him? SRH didn't have any quality spinner to bowl the middle overs. With the presence of ace spinners like Chahal and Kuldeep, will they try him in that slot? It's a big question for the management to ponder upon. Arshdeep who has bowled brilliantly at the death overs with an extraordinary economy has also been included in the squad. Avesh Khan, not new but also not a familiar face, will he get a chance again? Umran is more likely to better the rest.
Return of Kul-Cha?
The spin department; Will Kul-Cha return? Both of them were taking a lot of wickets in the IPL. Or will the team management overlook the IPL performances to go back to Ravi Bishnoi or Axar Patel? With Jadeja not in the squad, Axar provides a like-for-like replacement. But if both he and Chahal play, India does not have anyone to take the ball away from the left-handers. Kuldeep and Bishnoi both can do this job but this lengthens India's tail.
This series will definitely tell us how near or how far we are from the T20 WC trophy.
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