Even the most optimistic person would not have predicted an
almost white-wash by India in South
Africa. Especially after the start, we
had during the test match. We lost the first two tests. We won the third and
then it looked like there was no shutting us down. Except for a slight comeback
by the home team for half a second, we completely ruled the ODI series hands
down.
It is a fact that a series win against South Africa
in South Africa does not happen that often. Shastri, the head coach praised the
wrist spinners of the team along with the ability of the team to bounce back
with a bang.
Team South Africa had a rude wake-up call. This was supposed to be a
preparation of sorts for the upcoming world cup. The whole vision 2019 was to
include more players in the current tournaments to test them and prepare them
for the world cup. They are taking this loss in their stride by believing that
it is better to lose now than in the biggest tournament. The trick is to learn
from their mistakes. A loss in the hometown
is a good kick indeed.
They need to ensure that there is enough support
for the big guns. A team play. Not a one-man
show.
The T20 series begins
tomorrow. 18th Feb 2018. The centenary celebration programme aims to honour the values and legacy of former
President Nelson Mandela. The doubleheader
will also serve as a celebration of 20 years of diplomatic relations between
India and South Africa. Another trivia - the Nelson Mandela centenary
celebrations, also coincide with the
125th anniversary of when Mahatma Gandhi was thrown off a train at the Pietermaritzburg Railway station after he
refused to move from a whites’ only compartment.
Duminy takes over the captain’s cap for the T20.
Uncapped batsman Christiaan Jonker is added. Thanks to the injuries, new
players get a new chance. They need to take advantage of this to ensure that
they cement a place at the world cup.
JP Duminy being dropped probably came as a surprise
to many. It is not the first time he has been dropped. And he has accepted in
the past that he deserves to be dropped. The last time he was dropped from the
test team, he announced his retirement eventually from the longest format.
South Africa T20 squad: JP Duminy (capt), Farhaan
Behardien, Junior Dala, AB de Villiers, Reeza Hendricks, Christiaan Jonker,
Heinrich Klaasen, David Miller, Chris Morris, Dane Paterson, Aaron Phangiso,
Andile Phehlukwayo, Tabraiz Shamsi, Jon-Jon Smuts.
India on the other
hand is on a high. Players such as
Shardul Thakur and Shreyas Iyer are also able to get some action thanks to good
rotation. Shardul Thakur did extremely well and topped our Fantain Fantasy
platform with 61 points. His four-wicket
haul came at a very crucial time. Both for the team and personally. Jasprit Bumrah and Y Chahal
have pretty much established themselves in this tournament. Pandya and K Yadav
took one wicket each. All the bowlers took wickets. Captain Kohli’s 129 gave
India a smooth ride to victory.
Picking a lineup for the T20 could be hard with
most players of South Africa not being consistent and most Indian players
performing really well. There’s a tricky match ahead.
Suresh Raina is being called back. Along Jaydev
Unadkat and Lokesh Rahul. Only adds to the plot.
Let’s take a look at the probable team
South Africa [SA] Probable Playing 11 :
Jean-Paul Duminy(c), Farhaan Behardien, Heinrich Klaasen (wk), AB de
Villiers, Dane Paterson, Reeza Hendricks, Aaron Phangiso/ Tabraiz Shamsi, Chris
Morris, David Miller, JJ Smuts, Andile Phehlukwayo,
India [IND] Probable Playing 11 :
Virat Kohli(c), MS Dhoni (wk), Lokesh Rahul, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Jasprit
Bumrah, Hardik Pandya, Suresh Raina, Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav, Rohit Sharma,
Shikhar Dhawan,
Key Players
Batsmen
Virat Kohli
Shikhar Dhawan
Rohit Sharma
JP Duminy
AB De Villiers
Bowlers
Y Chahal
Jasprit Bumrah
Kuldeep Yadav
Andile Phehlukwayo
What do you think? Do listen to our audio podcast
for more view
Indu
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