Team India look to ride the high as Proteas look to clinch series

As the fate of the series hangs in the balance, India will be stepping foot in Rajkot, hoping to keep the series alive for the grand finale in Bengaluru on Sunday as they currently trail in the blockbuster fray. The first two T20Is witnessed South Africa savouring a couple of comfortable victories after contrasting displays from India. However, the Men in Blue made amends with a crushing victory in the third game of the series to make it 2-1.

Despite mixed performances in the first two games, Team India went into the do-or-die third T20I with an unchanged squad. Losing the third toss in the row, India was asked to bat again with Bavuma hoping to replicate the early success in the series. The faith shown in the eleven men paid off as the team played fearless cricket to pull off a 48-run victory. Team India will take much confidence into Rajkot as they look to level the series.

The South African side would probably be boosted by the return of Quinton de Kock who is deemed fit to play in the upcoming encounter while the Indian side will be going into the contest with a full-fledged squad.

The kind of surface that Rajkot has to offer is usually a flat track that is pretty conducive to the hard-hitters of the game. Both sides have some big-hitting options that level the odds. It could well come down to a couple of decent bowling spells that can change the complexion of the game.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Harshal Patel have been in prime form with economical spells and regular wickets. Chahal’s coming back to form will also be a crucial impetus to the Indian bowling that has been lacking wickets in the middle-overs, a factor that had been an issue in the first two T20Is for Team India.

Match details:

India vs South Africa (4th T20I)

Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium, Rajkot

17th June 2022

7:00 PM

Head-to-head:

Total matches: 18

India: 10

South Africa: 8

Squads:

India: Rishabh Pant (Captain, WK), Ruturaj Gaikwad, Ishan Kishan, Deepak Hooda, Shreyas Iyer, Hardik Pandya(vice-captain), Dinesh Karthik (wk), Venkatesh Iyer, Yuzvendra Chahal, Axar Patel, Ravi Bishnoi, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Harshal Patel, Avesh Khan, Arshdeep Singh, Umran Malik.

South Africa: 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 and Marco Jansen.