India vs South Africa: Match Preview – South Africa Tour of India 2022, 2nd T20I

India take on South Africa in the second T20I in Cuttack on Sunday, June 12. The hosts are trailing 0-1 in the series after losing the first T20I in Delhi. South Africa chased down a record total to gain the lead in the series. 

South Africa chased down 212 to win with David Miller (64*) and Rassie Van der Dussen (75*) adding an unbeaten 131 to win the game. In the process, they took the Indian bowlers to the cleaners in the final overs. Skipper Rishabh Pant‘s decision to not complete Yuzvendra Chahal’s overs became a talking point in the game. 

For India, their inability to stop runs, especially in the death overs was badly exposed. Heading into the second T20I, they have some rethinking and strategising to do. South Africa would want more of the same from their batters while their bowlers need to tighten their game a bit.

India vs South Africa: Match Preview – South Africa Tour of India 2022, 2nd T20I

India

India started the series already on the backfoot with KL Rahul and Kuldeep Yadav ruled out of the series. Rishabh Pant as Indian captain had a lot of flaws especially in managing his bowlers. He played a good knock in the middle order to help his team maintain the momentum. Ishan Kishan’s knock of 76 was positive for India and the middle-order contributed as well. 

Pant as captain impressed some and was criticised by some. His decision to not allow Chahal to complete his overs left many in shock. There were a few other mistakes committed as a whole by the team, something which they need to address in the second game. 

India Squad

Ruturaj Gaikwad, Ishan Kishan, Deepak Hooda, Shreyas Iyer, Rishabh Pant (C & WK), Dinesh Karthik, Hardik Pandya, Venkatesh Iyer, Yuzvendra Chahal, Axar Patel, R Bishnoi, Bhuvneshwar, Harshal Patel, Avesh Khan, Arshdeep Singh, Umran Malik

South Africa 

It was a perfect game for the South African batters. David Miller coming on the back of his best IPL season proved his worth in golf for the Proteas. Rassie Van der Dussen after a slow start picked his game in the final overs and ended unbeaten on 75. 

The South African bowlers were taken for runs as well. Their spin twins Keshav Maharaj and Tabraiz Shamsi impressed with their performances. Maharaj especially got one to turn big early on in his spell. As a bowling group, they would like to better their performance in the second T20I. 

South Africa Squad 

Temba Bavuma (C), Quinton de Kock, Reeza Hendricks, Heinrich Klaasen, Keshav Maharaj, Aiden Markram, David Miller, Lungi Ngidi, Anrich Nortje, Wayne Parnell, Dwaine Pretorius, Kagiso Rabada, Tabraiz Shamsi, Tristan Stubbs, Rassie van der Dussen, Marco Jansen

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