cricket

Updated: Sep 14, 2019 12:30 IST

Team India is set to resume their rivalry with South Africa in the first T20 international of the three-match series at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium in Dharamshala. Quinton de Kock will lead the Proteas as he replaces Faf du Plessis as the captain in the T20 series while Virat Kohli will be the man to skipper the Indian side. The wounded Proteas would look to bounce back after their disastrous World Cup campaign where they finished third from bottom.

Team India will be vary of the threat provided by the South Africans as they have an unimpressive record at home against the Proteas. India have never defeated South Africa in a T20 international at home. Infact, South Africa is the only team against whom India is yet to win a T20I match at home.

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However there are many debutants in the side for South Africa for this tour. So who are those players India should watch out for in the first T20I? Let’s find out:-

1. Quinton de Kock- The talented left-hand batsman has been a destructive force for the Proteas in limited-overs cricket. He has always liked the Indian bowlers and will be looking to give his side an explosive start at the top of the order. Leading the Proteas in the series, de Kock has played India only once in a T20I.

2. Kagiso Rabada- Heis one of the leading fast bowlers in the world and will look to unleash his lethal deliveries on the Indian batsmen. He is the perfect bowler to unsettle the instrumental top-three of the Indian order (Virat, Rohit and Shikhar). After experiencing a down phase in the World Cup, Rabada would be egging to get back on the cricket field.

3. David Miller- The explosive middle-order batsman has played in India for a while now. The Kings XI Punjab batsman made his name in world cricket while playing in the Indian Premier League and has the ability to turn the match on its head at any given situation. He is familiar with the stadium in Dharamshala after playing numerous matches at the venue for his IPL side.

4. Anrich Nortje – He is likely to make his debut in the series for the Proteas and has proven to be a big asset with the ball. Nortje even starred in the ‘A’ series between the teams as he picked up three wickets in the fourth ODI to hand his side the first win of the series. But will the burly speedster thrive against the Indian batsmen? It remains to be seen.

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5. Rassie van der Dussen- He is the man who replaced the great AB de Villiers in the Proteas squad and has taken world cricket by storm. The 30-year-old has an average of 73 in ODIs while providing stability in the middle order for his team. Even in T20Is, van der Dussen averages an impressive 36 with a strike rate of 133. He will be a big threat to India and the likes of Bumrah, Bhuvneshwar and Jadeja would like to target his wicket if India hopes to get the upper hand in the series.

South Africa T20I Squad: Quinton de Kock (captain), Rassie van der Dussen (vice-captain), Temba Bavuma, Junior Dala, Bjorn Fortuin, Beuran Hendricks, Reeza Hendricks, David Miller, Anrich Nortje, Andile Phehlukwayo, Dwaine Pretorius, Kagiso Rabada, Tabraiz Shamsi, George Linde.