The opening show is just a fortnight away. So both India and South Africa would be particularly keen to put in their best efforts in the final dress rehearsal.
The three-match T20I series, which gets underway at the Greenfield Stadium here on Wednesday, offers one last opportunity for the teams to iron out the flaws, try something different and for the stars to get their act together before the T20 World Cup begins in Australia with the group stage fixtures on October 16. India’s first World Cup match is scheduled for October 23 - versus Pakistan - while South Africa starts its campaign the following day.
A fine show in this series will work wonders for either team. Both have landed in this city -- known for its lovely beaches, rich cultural heritage and traditional as well as colonial architecture – in a confident frame of mind, having won their last respective series.
Thiruvananthapuram has a strong cricketing tradition, too, and a full house is expected for the match. The fans have plenty to look forward to, with both teams boasting quite a few showstoppers.
The South Africans would be desperate to stop the flow of runs – which are being scored not just with brute power but with plenty of flair as well – from India’s top- and middle-order. Few things have brought as much joy to the Indian supporters in recent times as Virat Kohli’s return to form.
Skipper Rohit Sharma also seems to be in good touch after the match-winning, unbeaten 20-ball 46 against Australia in the eight-over shootout at Nagpur.
Then, of course, there is the man of the moment – Suryakumar Yadav — who is rapidly growing in stature. It would be interesting to see if he carries on from his superb 36-ball 69 that helped India bounce back to win the series against Australia after losing the first game.
After the victory, much needed after the disappointment at the Asia Cup and weeks before the World Cup, Rohit had spoken about the concern the team had about its death bowling.
He must be hoping for better performances from the pacers, but should be happy with the way left-arm spinner Axar Patel delivered against the Aussies.
It would be interesting to see how the South African batting, with the likes of Quinton de Kock, David Miller and skipper Temba Bavuma, handles Axar.
As for bowling, the visitors have come armed with a formidable pace battery: Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi, Anrich Nortje, Marco Jansen and Wayne Parnell.
An exciting series beckons.
The teams (from):
India:
Rohit Sharma (Capt.), K.L. Rahul, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant, Dinesh Karthik, R. Ashwin, Yuzvendra Chahal, Axar Patel, Arshdeep Singh, Harshal Patel, Deepak Chahar, Jasprit Bumrah, Shreyas Iyer, Shahbaz Ahmed and Umesh Yadav.
South Africa:
Temba Bavuma (Capt.), Quinton de Kock, Bjorn Fortuin, Reeza Hendricks, Heinrich Klaasen, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Aiden Markram, David Miller, Lungi Ngidi, Anrich Nortje, Wayne Parnell, Andile Phehlukwayo, Dwaine Pretorius, Kagiso Rabada, Rilee Rossouw, Tabraiz Shamsi and Tristan Stubbs.
Match starts at 7 p.m.
