IND vs RSA, 3rd T20I: After facing a heartbreaking defeat to the Proteas in the 2nd T20i, Team India looked to bounce back with a win in the 3rd and final T20i of the 3-match T20i series. Aiden Markram led South Africa to lead the three-match series 1-0. The final T20i will take place at the DP World Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg. The match will start at 8:30 PM IST.
Ruturaj Gaikwad’s presence was definitely missed in the top order as both the openers, Shubman Gill and Yashasvi Jaiswal, got out without scoring any runs. If Gaikwad manages to recover successfully from his illness, he will walk straight into the playing 11 for the final T20i. He is in good form, and he was the highest run scorer for the Men in Blue in the 5-match T20i series vs. Australia, and his inclusion in the playing 11 would provide some much-needed solidity for the Indian team.
Shubman Gill would be his partner at the other end. Regarded as the Prince of Indian Cricket, he had a decent ODI World Cup, and after the final vs. Australia, he took a break and returned to yesterday’s match. Gill looked a bit rusty on his return and struggled to get going vs. the pace of the South African bowlers, and he would have to adjust according to the conditions quickly as India would be relying on the duo of Shubman Gill and Ruturaj Gaikwad to get The Men in Blue off to a flier in the 3rd T20i vs. South Africa.
Skipper Suryakumar Yadav will bat at No. 3 and is expected to lead the team from the front once again. He scored an important 50 vs. the Proteas in the previous game and would want to play another captain’s knock in the 3rd T20i and help India level the 3-match T20i series.
Tilak Verma is expected to bat once again at number 4. He looked fine in the previous match with a knock of 29 runs from 20 balls, but he got dismissed for playing a poor shot. He would want to play a better knock in the 3rd T20i as he can attack the bowling unit of The Proteas freely at will. His part-time spin bowling can give him the edge over Shreyas Iyer, and The Men in Blue can use him as a sixth bowling option.
Rinku Singh will come to bat at number 5. He has been in outstanding form since his debut and played a brilliant knock of 68 runs in the last match. He showed that he is more than a finisher, and he knows how to build an inning properly. He would want to ensure that India win the 3rd T20i and level the series by performing well once again, as his presence in the middle order solidifies the batting of the Men in Blue.
Jitesh Sharma will once again don the wicket-keeping gloves for the final T20i of the series vs. South Africa. He tried to go after Aiden Markram in the last match but got dismissed cheaply, so he would want to perform well in the 3rd T20i; otherwise, his spot in the playing 11 will be taken by Ishan Kishan.
Ravindra Jadeja played the role of the spin bowling allrounder in the previous game and scored some useful runs with the bat in the backend of the innings but was not able to do much with the ball. But he is not someone who cannot be taken lightly, as he is a clutch player, and he would be looking to control the run flow of the South African batters in the final T20i on the batting-friendly pitch of Johannesburg.
Kuldeep Yadav is expected to handle the spin bowling department along with Jadeja for the third and final T20i of this series. He picked up a wicket and gave away just 26 runs in the 2nd T20i, and the Chinamen bowler would want to trouble the South African bowlers once again with his spin in Johannesburg.
Mohammad Siraj will lead the pace bowling unit. He looked in great rhythm, picking up 1 wicket by giving away 27 runs in his 3 overs, and would want to deliver a similar performance in the final T20i.
Mukesh Kumar picked up 2 wickets as he dismissed David Miller and Aiden Markram in the 2nd T20i, but his economy was quite high, and he would want to bowl economically in the 3rd T20i.
Arshdeep Singh is not able to replicate his IPL form in international cricket. He gave away 24 runs in his very first over in the 2nd T20i and ended the match with figures of 0-31 in 2 overs. There’s no update regarding the availability of Deepak Chahar, so Arshdeep would be the 3rd seamer in the 3rd T20i vs. South Africa.
India’s predicted Playing XI against South Africa in the 3rd T20I
Ruturaj Gaikwad, Shubman Gill, Suryakumar Yadav (captain), Tilak Verma, Rinku Singh, Jitesh Sharma (WK), Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Mukesh Kumar, Mohammed Siraj, and Arshdeep Singh.
Read: RSA vs IND, 3rd T20I: Players to Watch out For | India Tour of South Africa, Last T20I
For more details head to ICC’s official website.