IND vs SA 1st T20I Preview: India Targets Winning Start As Shubman Gill, Hardik Pandya Return
Hardik Pandya has fully recovered from his Asia Cup injury and is ready to rejoin the team.
The five-match T20I series between India and South Africa begins on Tuesday, 9 December, at the Barabati Stadium in Cuttack. South Africa had earlier claimed the Test series 2-0, while India bounced back to win the three-match ODI series 2-1.
While Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma were the stars in the ODIs, attention now turns to Suryakumar Yadav and his teammates as India fine-tunes its combinations ahead of the 2026 T20 World Cup. One key selection dilemma remains the choice of wicketkeeper between Sanju Samson and Jitesh Sharma.
Hardik Pandya has fully recovered from his Asia Cup injury and is ready to rejoin the team. His presence will be pivotal to India’s strategies for the upcoming World Cup, with Gautam Gambhir and Suryakumar Yadav expected to maximize his impact.
Historically, India and South Africa have met twice in Cuttack, with South Africa winning both encounters. These matches are among the only three international T20Is ever played at the venue.
Weather conditions may also play a role, as dew is common in coastal Cuttack. This could make chasing easier, potentially influencing the toss-winning team to bat second. However, since all games are scheduled at night, dew may have a reduced impact on play.
Aiden Markram, South Africa’s T20I captain, praised the Indian squad ahead of the series opener:
“It’s great that Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma are not part of the T20I side, but still it’s a strong Indian team. T20 is a different challenge altogether. We have a different plan and will focus on giving our best and enjoying the game.”
India’s Probable XI
Shubman Gill (Vice-Captain)
Abhishek Sharma
Tilak Varma
Suryakumar Yadav (Captain)
Hardik Pandya
Shivam Dube
Axar Patel
Jitesh Sharma (Wicketkeeper)
Jasprit Bumrah
Varun Chakravarthy
Arshdeep Singh
Team India can look forward to a huge crowd at the Barabati Stadium, with large numbers of fans already spotted during practice sessions.
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