India vs South Africa T20 Series: Everything you need to know

After successful series against Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, Suryakumar Yadav's T20I captaincy journey faces a new challenge as Team India prepares to take on South Africa. The series opener on Friday at Kingsmead, Durban, will also rekindle memories of the thrilling 2024 T20 World Cup final, where Rohit Sharma’s squad edged past the Proteas by a narrow five-run margin.

New Leadership and Coaching Strategies

With head coach Gautam Gambhir focused on strategizing for the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy, the National Cricket Academy (NCA) head VVS Laxman has stepped in to oversee coaching responsibilities in South Africa. This shift in leadership brings a fresh dynamic to the team as they aim to extend their winning streak.

Pressure on South Africa

South Africa enters this series under pressure, having recently faced a 0-3 defeat against the West Indies and a 1-1 draw with Ireland. The Proteas, who experimented with a young lineup in those series, now aim to bounce back strong against India.

India’s Squad with New Faces

India has also introduced fresh talent for this series. Ramandeep Singh, known for his powerful performances with the Kolkata Knight Riders in the IPL 2024 and the Emerging Asia Cup, joins the team. Additionally, Vijaykumar Vyshak, who impressed with Royal Challengers Bengaluru, has been included.

Head-to-Head Advantage

India leads South Africa 15-11 in T20Is, with only one game ending in no result. When India last toured South Africa in 2023, the two teams split the series 1-1, with one match washed out.

Predicted Playing XIs

India: Sanju Samson, Abhishek Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav (C), Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Rinku Singh, Ramandeep Singh, Axar Patel, Varun Chakravarthy/Ravi Bishnoi, Arshdeep Singh, Avesh Khan.

South Africa: Aiden Markram (C), Reeza Hendricks, Ryan Rickelton, Tristian Stubbs, Heinrich Klaasen (wk), David Miller, Donovan Ferreira, Marco Jansen, Gerald Coetzee, Ottneil Baartman, Lutho Sipamla.

India vs South Africa T20 Series Schedule (EST)

• November 8, Friday: 1st T20 at Kingsmead, Durban - 10:30 AM EST

• November 10, Sunday: 2nd T20 at St George's Park, Gqebera - 9:30 AM EST

• November 13, Wednesday: 3rd T20 at SuperSport Park, Centurion - 10:30 AM EST

• November 15, Friday: 4th T20 at The Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg - 10:30 AM EST

With Suryakumar Yadav's sights set on a third consecutive series win, India’s T20 campaign continues with high stakes and fresh faces.