A poor-performing spinner, an in-form opener and a poor performance himself will be a lot on skipper Rishabh Pant’s mind when India take on a five-wicket haul against South Africa in the third T20I on Tuesday. match series alive
India vs South Africa 2022: Schedule , news , photos
The hosts came into the series on a 12-match winning streak but South Africa shrugged off India’s victory with two emphatic victories. Pant’s side is now struggling on several fronts and with just one day between the second and third games, it will be a tough effort to fill all the holes. If the bowling let India down in the first game, poor batting performance cost them the second match and now they have their backs to the wall.
what: India vs South Africa, 3rd T20I match
When: 14 June (Tuesday)
Where: DRCA-VDCA Cricket Stadium, Visakhapatnam
Time: 7 pm (IST)
Strike rate crisis for Ruturaj, Iyer
India’s batting left much to be desired with the openers failing to give the team a good start in the powerplay.
While Ishan Kishan has done well so far, Ruturaj Gaikwad (23, 1) has dragged the team down by questioning his technique and his ability to force quick pace against quality fast bowlers.
Shreyas Iyer also looks weak against the fast bowlers and even though he has got a start, he has not been able to capitalize on or push the run-rate while putting pressure on the front line of the batsmen in the middle order.
Read also: ‘We didn’t bowl well after the 10th over’
Hardik Pandya, who was in sensational form for Gujarat Titans in the IPL, delivered some big hits when the team was comfortable in the first T20I but could not make it to the two-paced pitch in Cuttack.
He also failed to impress with the ball, conceding 49 runs in four overs in two matches.
Pant’s captaincy in question
Pant (29, 5), who came under the captaincy, has not removed himself so far. He has scored only three fifties in 45 T20 Internationals with an average of 23.9 and a strike rate of 126.6.
As someone who is touted as the leader of the future, Pant has not inspired enough confidence with his leadership abilities.
Their decision to promote Axar Patel over designated finisher and veteran Dinesh Karthik in the second game was shocking to say the least.
A lot will be expected from the wicket-keeper batsman, who can single-handedly win matches at the World Cup in Australia later this year, and will produce an inspired show on Tuesday.
Inspirational show of Chahal and Akshara
In bowling, the spin duo of Yuzvendra Chahal and Axar Patel has been a major drop as they scored 75 and 59 runs in six overs and five overs in the two matches and one of them is likely to be hit by the ax going into the third game.
Chahal, who was the Purple Cap holder in the IPL, and Axar were kept under the pump with the likes of David Miller, Rassie van der Dussen and Heinrich Klaasen feasting on their walking bowling.
With both flopping, it needs to be seen whether the team management gives a middle chance to young leggie Ravi Bishnoi or all-rounder Venkatesh Iyer, who also opens for Kolkata Knight Riders in the IPL.
The hosts, barring Bhuvneshwar Kumar, seem to be deprived of ideas of success as India took just four wickets in the opening game and six in the second match, with Meerut’s leading seamer doing the most damage.
Indian bowlers have a tendency to deliver runs in heaps in one or two overs which completely reverses the work done in the previous overs and they will need to up their game to save the hopes of saving the series.
India’s think-tank may try to highlight Umran Malik’s fast pace on South Africa or bring in Arshdeep Singh in place of Avesh Khan, who is yet to take a wicket in the series.
South Africa, on the other hand, are looking like a well oiled machine, with both their bowlers and batsmen working in partnership.
If Miller and van der Dussen snatched it up with a scintillating performance in the first T20, the returning Klaasen proved the difference with his fluent 81 on a difficult wicket on Sunday.
Captain Temba Bavuma also played the perfect foil for Klaasen to script SA’s return.
In bowling, Kagiso Rabada, Enrique Nortje and Wayne Parnell have hunted in a pack.
full squad
India: Rishabh Pant (c & wk), Ruturaj Gaikwad, Ishan Kishan, Deepak Hooda, Shreyas Iyer, Dinesh Karthik, Hardik Pandya, Venkatesh Iyer, Yuzvendra Chahal, Axar Patel, Ravi Bishnoi, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Harshal Patel, Avesh Khan, Arshdeep Singh, Umran Malik
South Africa: Temba Bavuma (c), Quinton de Kock (wk), Reeza Hendrix, Henrik Klaasen, Keshav Maharaj, Aiden Markram, David Miller, Lungi Ngidi, Enrique Nortje, Wayne Parnell, Dwayne Pretorius, Kagiso Rabada, Tabrez Shamsi, Tristan Stubbs, Russi Van der Dussen, Marco Janssen
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