South Africa vs India SA look to break spin stranglehold while India worry about depth

South Africa vs India looks to break spin hold while India faces depth concerns

South Africa vs India both teams may not focus too much on individual performances in this series, but there are broad, team-level issues each may want to address.

This series is an unusual one, with both sides below full strength and some big names rested for upcoming priorities. They’re playing in a format that has less immediate relevance with no major tournament on the horizon, and, curiously, it’s a four-match series rather than the usual three or five.

Despite that, it’s been fiercely competitive, and with the series level at 1-1, the remaining matches promise high stakes. After splitting wins on the coast, South Africa and India now head to the Highveld, where pace, bounce, and altitude will set a different tone.

Since both teams are experimenting with young players and new combinations, they’re unlikely to overanalyze individual performances. However, they’ll need to address larger team issues if they want to control the series.

South Africa’s Spin Challenge vs. India’s Batting Depth

South Africa has struggled against India’s wrist-spinners, facing 16 overs from them while losing 12 wickets and scoring only 91 runs. Ravi Bishnoi and Varun Chakravarthy are proving as effective as Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal were in the 2017-18 ODI series, where they combined for 35 wickets in five games.

India, however, faces a structural issue that has reappeared recently: limited batting depth. In the first T20I, they managed only 40 runs in the final six overs, unable to capitalize on Sanju Samson’s century. In the second, early wickets left them struggling to recover. Their batting lineup seems to lack depth past No. 7, an issue that could affect the series outcome if not addressed.

Spotlight: David Miller and Abhishek Sharma

David Miller has been out twice to Varun Chakravarthy in this series, falling for a golden duck in one instance. Known for his prowess against spin, Miller will look to improve against Varun’s variations.

On India’s side, Abhishek Sharma made an impressive debut with a 47-ball hundred against Zimbabwe, but he’s scored only 70 runs across eight other innings. Known for his aggressive style, Abhishek’s success hinges on whether India’s team management will allow him to develop his game while staying true to his attacking instincts.

Team Changes

South Africa has added fast bowler Lutho Sipamla to their squad, who could replace Andile Simelane or leg-spinner Nqaba Peter in the starting XI. Sipamla brings recent strong performances, including a Player-of-the-Match display in the CSA T20 Challenge South Africa vs India.

India, on the other hand, may not have a quick fix for their batting depth issue but might consider experimenting. Three players—Vijaykumar Vyshak, Yash Dayal, and Ramandeep Singh—are awaiting T20I debuts.

Afghanistan vs Bangladesh

Possible Playing XIs

South Africa: 1. Ryan Rickelton, 2. Reeza Hendricks, South Africa vs India 3. Aiden Markram (c), South Africa vs India 4. Tristan Stubbs, 5. Heinrich Klaasen (wk), 6. David Miller, 7. Marco Jansen, 8. Andile Simelane/Lutho Sipamla, 9. Gerald Coetzee, 10. Keshav Maharaj, 11. Nqabayomzi Peter

India: 1. Sanju Samson (wk), 2. Abhishek Sharma, 3. Suryakumar Yadav (c), 4. Tilak Varma, South Africa vs India 5. Hardik Pandya, 6. Rinku Singh, 7. Axar Patel, 8. Arshdeep Singh, 9. Ravi Bishnoi, 10. Avesh Khan, 11. Varun Chakravarthy

Pitch and Conditions

Centurion is known for high-scoring games, with batters scoring at 10.9 runs per over. Last year, the ground saw record chases and plenty of runs, though fast bowlers may benefit from the bounce and altitude if conditions favor them.

Stats and Trivia

• Centurion has been the highest-scoring T20I venue in South Africa this decade, with teams averaging 33.25 runs per wicket.
• David Miller holds the record for most catches (81) by a non-wicketkeeper in all T20Is.
• Varun Chakravarthy, with eight wickets so far, is close to breaking the record for most wickets by an Indian in a bilateral T20I series.
• Since his debut in 2022, Arshdeep Singh has taken the most T20I wickets among players from Full Member nations, with 89.

Quotes Marco Jansen, South Africa allrounder: “Everyone on the team hates losing. After the first game, we focused on winning the small battles in the second, which made the difference in the end, even though it was low-scoring.”

India’s Arshdeep Singh on Jasprit Bumrah’s influence: “Jassi bhai has helped me enormously, creating pressure from the other end. The focus is always on adapting to conditions and attacking early to set us up for a win.” https://lisalavoie.com/