South Africa Playing XI vs India- 1st T20I, South Africa Tour of India 2025

India will be up against South Africa in the first of the five-match T20I series. This article provides details about South Africa's Playing 11 vs India for the first match of the series.

South Africa Playing XI vs India- 1st T20I, South Africa Tour of India 2025:

Openers: Quinton de Kock (wk), Reeza Hendricks

South Africa suffered a loss in their previous T20I series against Pakistan and would look to get back to winning ways courtesy of a win in the first T20I against India.

The Proteas can take confidence from the fact that they have won both matches that they have played against India in this format of the game at the Barabati Stadium in Cuttack, the venue for the upcoming match.

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SA is expected to open the batting with Quinton de Kock and Reeza Hendricks, both of whom would be entrusted to get the team off to a good start in the first six overs.

In addition to batting well in partnership, both batters would also wish to score runs individually in order to gain confidence for the matches to come.

Middle-order batsmen and all-rounders: Aiden Markram (c), Tristan Stubbs, Tony de Zorzi, Dewald Brevis, David Miller, Marco Jansen, Corbin Bosch

When it comes to the middle order, it comprises the likes of captain Aiden Markram, Tristan Stubbs, Dewald Brevis, and experienced batter David Miller, all of whom have the ability to turn the match in their team's favour.

All eyes will be on Aiden Markram, who will look to lead from the front being the captain of the team, and would hope to get good support from other batters as well.

As was the case in the ODI series, South Africa will have the option of playing with freedom, something which T20I cricket demands due to the depth they possess in the batting lineup, which extends till number eight.

The presence of two fast bowling all-rounders in the playing XI in the form of Marco Jansen and Corbin Bosch provides stability to the team and the option of trying out different combinations for the captain in both batting and bowling departments.

Having said that, the onus will be on the top five batters to score the bulk of the runs for the team to get the opposition bowlers under pressure.

Bowlers: Keshav Maharaj, Anrich Nortje, Lungi Ngidi

South Africa will have as many as six bowling options in the playing XI for the first T20I against India.

The likes of Anrich Nortje, Lungi Ngidi, Marco Jansen, and Corbin Bosch will take care of the team's fast bowling department.

The spin bowling department of the Proteas will be handled by Keshav Maharaj, who is expected to be the only specialist spinner in the playing XI for the match in question, with Aiden Markram chipping in with a couple of overs if needed.

All things said, the team management would bank on their bowlers to restrict the Indian batters through some intelligent bowling.