Team India, after a hectic Indian Premier League (IPL) schedule, is set to begin an international season with a five-match T20I series against South Africa; the home series will be played between June 9 to June 19, in Delhi, Cuttak, Vizag, Rajkot, and Bengaluru. Although, regulars like Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammad Shami, and Ravindra Jadeja are rested by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), for the series.
The All India Senior Selection Committee has recently announced a 18-member squad comprising youngsters and experienced players, for the 5-games. Among these, on basis of their first-rate performances in the IPL 2022, Arshdeep Singh and Umran Malik have received their maiden India call-ups.
While it is a five-match series and several youngsters may get to wear the blue jersey, an absence of India’s most capped and reliable players certainly makes a difference. South Africa too, is one of the excellent T20 sides in the world. Temba Bavuma-led proteas lineup has so much potential and can’t be underrated, even though it’s India’s home series.
3 India players who may not play a single game against South Africa
#1 Venkatesh Iyer
Young Venkatesh Iyer has been selected in the Indian team as a san all-rounder but considering his recent form in the IPL 2022. There are barely some chances that he plays in the first XI.
Kolkata Knight Rider’s (KKR) star from the 2021 season of the IPL, somehow botched to perform well, this year. Iyer, with the bat, has scored 182 runs in 12 innings, at a poor strike rate of 94.91. Iyer also took three wickets in 8 innings, at an economy of 8.02. His highest score was 50* in 41 deliveries, against Mumbai Indians (MI), in this IPL.
Besides, Hardik Pandya, the experienced India all-rounder is back in the squad and will certainly play all the matches as, he is the topmost contender for the pace-bowling all-rounder role in the Indian team, considering the upcoming T20 World Cup in Australia.
#2 Ravi Bishnoi
The young leg-spinner made his India debut, back in February 2022, against West Indies, at Kolkata. The 21-year-old also picked up four wickets in as many international matches he played.
Bishnoi, for Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in the IPL 2022, managed to capture 13 wickets in 14 encounters, at an economy of 7.79.
Considering his existing form with the ball, KL Rahul as a captain would prefer Yuzvendra Chahal and Kuldeep Yadav, the two experienced leg-spinners already in the squad. In addition, Axar Patel is going to be there, which eventually reduces Bishnoi’s ways to the playing XI.
#3 Ruturaj Gaikwad
The young Ruturaj Gaikwad, certainly the Chennai Super Kings’ (CSK) innovation, has played three T20 internationals for India scoring 39 runs, at a strike rate of 108.33.
While, in the IPL 2022, Gaikwad managed to notch 368 runs in 14 innings he played. He scored runs at a strike rate of 126.46 with three half-centuries.
For the SA series, Gaikwad, certainly not a middle-order batter, can only play as an opener alongside Rahul. But for that position, Ishan Kishan is another candidate in the squad. Kishan has scored 418 runs in 14 innings at a strike rate of 120.11, with three fifties.
So, it is going to be interesting to see which sort of combination KL Rahul goes for, in at least the first three games.
Written by Prachi Pisal
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