IND vs SA: 2nd T20I Preview – Teams aim to get action underway after Dharamsala washout

After a washout in the first T20I at Dharamshala, India and South Africa now move to Mohali hoping to get the ball rolling. With inclement weather, not even the toss was possible in the first T20I. But with the weather forecast much better, the high-profile series between the two cricketing giants will finally see some breathtaking action.

With the T20 World Cup only a year away, the series is crucial for both the sides as they cement their combination for the tournament. Both teams have undergone some big changes. While South Africa have seen some big players bid ado to the international arena, India are implementing a new philosophy, especially in the bowling department. The series will be a big opportunity for some young players to establish themselves as a key part of the team. With so much at stake, expect a humdinger of a match at Mohali.

Match Info

India vs South Africa: 2nd T20I, September 18

Punjab Cricket Association IS Bindra Stadium, Mohali (7:00 pm IST)

Head-To-Head

Played – 13

India wins – 8

South Africa wins – 5

Team News

India

India head into the series piling a lot of stock into some young bowlers. The likes of Navdeep Saini, Deepak Chahar and Rahul Chahar form an exciting albeit inexperienced core. The way they manage themselves when the going gets tough will certainly be exciting to watch. Unlike the bowling though, the batting order bears a similar look with the big guns present. The top three will consist of Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan and skipper Virat Kohli. Rishabh Pant will don the gloves while the Pandya brothers will act as the all-rounders. It will be interesting to see who among Manish Pandey and Shreyas Iyer gets the nod in the middle order.

South Africa

There will a plethora of unknown faces in the South African set-up. Opener and wicketkeeper-batsman Quinton de Kock has been handed the reins of the team. He is likely to open the batting with Reeza Hendricks. Temba Bavuma, ever-present in the Test setup will also get a chance in the shorter formats. David Miller, as an experienced name will also have to shoulder some big responsibility. In Andile Phehlukwayo, South Africa have a potential top-notch all-rounder. The pace department is also well served with the likes of Kagiso Rabada and Anrich Nortje. Tabraiz Shamsi will be the senior spinner in the set-up.

Key players

Rohit Sharma (India): Fireworks will be expected from the bat of Rohit Sharma in what is expected to be a good batting deck. The ball comes on to the bat at Mohali, exactly the kind of surface which Rohit relishes. He also has a good record against South Africa in T20Is, scoring 341 runs at an average of 37.88 in 11 matches. He has a century and two half-centuries against South Africa.

Quinton de Kock (South Africa): Heading into the series, Quinton de Kock will be one of the veterans of the squad and will have the additional responsibility of leading the side. The South African board is in search of new leaders and de Kock is one of the candidates. Surprisingly, de Kock has only played one T20I against India in 2014, which wasn’t a successful outing for him. But overall, he remains a big impact player at the top of the order. He has played 36 T20Is, scoring 887 runs at a strike-rate of 127.07 with 2 half-centuries.

Probable XI

India: R Sharma, S Dhawan, V Kohli (c), R Pant (wk), S Iyer, H Pandya, K Pandya, W Sundar, R Chahar, D Chahar, N Saini

South Africa: Q de Kock (c), R Hendricks, T Bavuma, R van der Dussen, D Miller, A Phehlukwayo, D Pretorius, K Rabada, G Linde/B Fortuin, J Dala/A Nortje, T Shamsi