Gqeberha, Nov 10 (UNI) South Africa won the toss in the second T20I against India and opted to field, aiming to capitalise on overcast conditions and a grassy pitch that may offer early movement for the bowlers.
Having dropped the opening match of the four-match series, the hosts look to exploit home advantage and rain-prone weather to level the series.
Sanju Samson’s scintillating century against Bangladesh last month set the stage, and he carried his form into the first T20I against South Africa, scoring a blistering knock that led India to a formidable 200-plus total. Complemented by a disciplined bowling display, India clinched a comfortable victory, establishing a 1-0 lead in the series.
India’s unchanged XI demonstrates their confidence in a winning combination, aiming to replicate their aggressive brand of cricket with the bat. South Africa, on the other hand, brought in Reeza Hendricks for Kruger to strengthen their bowling options.
The pitch report by former South African internationals Shaun Pollock and Ashwell Prince suggests that the surface, though firm and grassy, is likely to assist bowlers early on due to the moisture and the cloudy, breezy conditions.
South Africa captain Aiden Markram acknowledged the conditions as favourable for bowling, stating, "With rain around, that’s the obvious choice. We hope the bowlers make use of the moisture on offer."
India captain Suryakumar Yadav, expressing satisfaction with his side’s batting-first approach, emphasised the team’s commitment to an aggressive and consistent style. "We wanted to bat first and keep playing the same brand of cricket. Happy with the last match, and we want to keep building on these good habits,"Suryakumar remarked.
As the match gets underway, all eyes are on India’s batting lineup to see if they can build on their momentum and South Africa’s bowlers to test India’s resilience on a tricky surface.
Teams:
India (Playing XI): Sanju Samson(w), Abhishek Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav(c), Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Rinku Singh, Axar Patel, Arshdeep Singh, Ravi Bishnoi, Varun Chakaravarthy, Avesh Khan
South Africa (Playing XI): Ryan Rickelton, Reeza Hendricks, Aiden Markram(c), Tristan Stubbs, Heinrich Klaasen(w), David Miller, Marco Jansen, Andile Simelane, Gerald Coetzee, Keshav Maharaj, Nqabayomzi Peter.
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