India vs South Africa: India’s Predicted Playing XI Against South Africa, 5th T20I

India take on South Africa in the fifth and final T20I in Bengaluru on Sunday, June 19. India levelled the series with back to back wins in the third and fourth T20I to set up the decider in the fifth T20I. They won the fourth T20I by 82 runs, their biggest victory over South Africa in terms of runs.

The Proteas after winning the first two games have lost the next two. They are chasing history as they have not lost a bilateral series across formats against India in India since 2011. India, on the other hand, has not lost a bilateral T20I series at home since 2019. One of these two records will change come Sunday.

The Indian team management have backed a set of players in the first four games. After having an ordinary outing in the first two games, the players bounced back in the next two games. Barring any last-minute injuries, the same XI players should play the final T20I In Bengaluru as well.

India vs South Africa: India’s Predicted Playing XI Against South Africa, 5th T20I

Ruturaj Gaikwad

After scoring his maiden T20I fifty in the third T20I, Gaikwad fell cheaply again in Rajkot. In the final T20I, he needs to get another substantial score under his belt and needs to give his team a good start.

Also Read: IND vs SA Head to Head Records, India’s Head to Head Records vs South Africa– South Africa Tour of India 2022, 5th T20I

Ishan Kishan

Kishan is the leading run-scorer of the series with 191 runs from four games. This includes two fifty-plus scores. He will open the batting with Gaikwad.

Shreyas Iyer

Iyer will continue to bat at his usual number three position. He has owned this position in the absence of Virat Kohli in the team. He too fell cheaply in the fourth T20I.

Rishabh Pant (C / WK)

Pat has disappointed with the bat in the series registering back to back low-scores. He has been dismissed thrice by Keshav Maharaj in the series all to the same short. His shot selection has been criticised by former Indian cricketers. Some have even said that his place in the Indian white-ball side is not safe. The southpaw needs to come up with a captain’s knock in the fifth T20I.

Hardik Pandya

Pandya notched up his highest T20I score in the last game. He batted with an aggressive approach and added over 70 runs in the last five overs along with Dinesh Karthik. HE will be key with both bat and ball in the fifth T20I.

Dinesh Karthik

Karthik scored his maiden T20I fifty in the last match against South Africa. In the process, he once again proved his importance in this Indian T20I outfit and his dream to play in the T20 World Cup.

Axar Patel

Axar Patel is the only Indian player who has not contributed with any substantial performance so far. However, to not bring the winning combination, he will be kept in the playing XI. The management can try either Umran Malik or Arshdeep Singh if at all they want to.

Harshal Patel

Harshal Patel took four wickets in the third T20I and one in the fourth. He was given just two overs with the ball. Given his experience of bowling in T20Is now, he will be key for India in Bengaluru.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar

Bhuvi can bat at number eight or nine in this Indian playing XI. He will be more crucial with the ball though. So far in the series, he has picked up six wickets from four games.

Avesh Khan

Avesh Khan picked up 4/18 in the fourth T20I, his best figures in T20I cricket. He will be the third seamer in the Indian playing XI.

Yuzvendra Chahal

Chahal will conclude India’s playing XI for the fifth T20I in Bengaluru. He knows this ground very well having played and bowled for RCB many seasons in the IPL. The leggie has picked up 10 wickets so far in the series.

Also Read: IND vs SA: Match Preview – South Africa Tour of India 2022, 5th T20I