Captain Suryakumar Yadav and Tilak Varma’s recalibrated approach — opting to stabilise the innings instead of going all-out from the outset — will come under scrutiny when India face a formidable South African outfit in their opening Super Eight clash of the T20 World Cup on Sunday.
The Proteas bring with them a menacing bowling attack featuring Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj and skipper Aiden Markram. The defending champions are well aware that this will be a far sterner examination than what they encountered in the group stage.
Remarkably, the two sides will meet for the sixth time in the past two months, and it remains to be seen which team benefits more from the familiarity when they square off under lights.
India have largely cruised through the group phase without being seriously tested. However, the hosts know their batting hasn’t quite clicked. Apart from opener Ishan Kishan — who has struck two half-centuries at a blistering strike rate of 202 — the rest of the top order has struggled to impose itself.
Abhishek Sharma is enduring a lean patch, registering three ducks, while Suryakumar and Tilak, despite defending their anchor roles, have looked far from fluent on surfaces where the ball has tended to grip. On such tracks, the Mumbai Indians duo have found stroke-making far from straightforward.
India’s scoring momentum has often relied on the power-hitting of Hardik Pandya (strike rate 155) and Shivam Dube (strike rate 178) in the death overs.
With Abhishek dismissed by off-spinners in successive games, it will be interesting to see if Markram introduces spin early during the Powerplay. While Abhishek’s form is a pressing concern, Tilak’s laboured starts have also drawn attention. He managed 25 off 24 balls against Pakistan, 25 off 21 against Namibia, and a painstaking 31 off 27 against the Netherlands.
His tournament strike rate hovers just above 120 — significantly below his career rate of 141.
Suryakumar, barring his unbeaten 84 off 49 balls against a depleted USA attack, has not looked at his explosive best either. Against Pakistan and the Netherlands, he appeared scratchy, reflected in a tournament strike rate in the mid-130s — well below his career mark of over 160.
For a side that fields eight batters and prides itself on aggressive intent regardless of conditions, carrying two out-of-touch stroke-makers on sluggish surfaces could prove costly. In tournaments like the T20 World Cup, caution doesn’t always translate into success.
There is no denying the quality in this Indian unit. On their good days, they breach the 200-mark with ease; even on average outings, they flirt with that total.
What truly sets India apart, though, is their bowling arsenal. Jasprit Bumrah and Varun Chakravarthy have controlled eight of the 20 overs with precision and menace. None of the four teams in the initial round — including a below-par Pakistan side — managed to counter the duo effectively.
Chakravarthy has claimed nine wickets in four matches at a remarkable economy rate of 5.16, while Bumrah has conceded just six runs per over across his three outings.
Yet, against a batting line-up stacked with firepower — Quinton de Kock, Markram, Dewald Brevis, Tristan Stubbs, Ryan Rickelton, David Miller and Jansen — the entire bowling unit will need to rise collectively.
The clash against South Africa will offer a clearer picture of how India’s campaign might unfold in the knockout stages.
On the team front, India are likely to bring in Kuldeep Yadav in place of Arshdeep Singh, while Axar Patel is set to return after a one-match break, replacing Washington Sundar.
South Africa, meanwhile, are expected to welcome back Jansen, Ngidi and Maharaj, all of whom were rested in the previous game against the UAE.
Squads:
India: Suyakumar Yadav (captain), Ishan Kishan (wk), Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Shivam Dube, Hardik Pandya, Rinku Singh, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Varun Chakravarthy, Sanju Samson (wk), Mohammed Siraj, Washington Sundar, Arshdeep Singh.
South Africa: Aiden Markram (captain), Quinton de Kock (wk), Ryan Rickleton, Dewald Brevis, Tristan Stubbs, David Miller, Marco Jansen, Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi, Keshav Maharaj, Corbin Bosch, Anrich Nortje, Kwena Maphaka, George Linde, Jason Smith.
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