IND v SA | South Africa's predicted XI for the 2nd T20I in Mohali
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After the first T20I, that was supposed to be held in Dharamshala, was washed out, the focus immediately shifted to the remaining two games, the first of which will be played in Mohali on Wednesday. With four uncapped players in the Proteas squad, at least two will ideally be making their debut.
Openers
Reeza Hendricks: The right-handed batsman is in good form as playing for South Africa A, he slammed a hundred against India A in Thiruvananthapuram recently. His talent in the shortest format was recognized in the 2018 edition of the Mzansi Super league where he scored two back to back hundreds in the 2018 edition. His overall T20 record is a fine 3190 runs at 36.25 in 117 matches.
Quinton de Kock: The newly recruited T20I captain of the Proteas side is all about experience rather than form, something that hasn't been so smooth lately. Perhaps, the captaincy duties might work the charm for the left-handed batsman as the team management has bigger plans for him. Moreover, he has been a consistent member in the team with his glove duties, and the leadership is proof that his position is to remain cemented for a long time. He was also the third-highest run-getter in IPL 2019 with 529 runs at of 35.26 and a strike rate of 132.91.
Middle-order
Rassie van der Dussen: Rassie van der Dussen was perhaps the silver lining for South Africa in their forgettable World Cup 2019 campaign when more often than not he rose to the occasion to sail the ship for his team. Coming to the short format of the game, he averages 48.36 in Twenty20s in 2019. The 30-year-old will be one of the key players for the visiting side in Wednesday's T20I.
Temba Bavuma: The 29-year-old has been associated with the national team for long but is yet to make his debut in T20Is. His role would be to consolidate the middle-order in a ground that has a reputation of producing high scoring games and help South Africa bat deep in their innings.
David Miller: South Africa's David Miller has had a lot of good times on the field, more than enough to prove that he is a match-winner in limited-overs. From the IPL to South African colours, he has often set the tone of the game with his powerful hitting. Moreover, Mohali practically was his home ground in the IPL while playing for the Kings XI Punjab, and with 628 runs at 41.87 and a strike-rate of 150.96 at this venue, Miller will be the key player for South Africa in the 2nd T20I.
All-rounders
Dwaine Pretorius: Right-arm pacer Dwayne Pretorious, with an experience of four T20Is, is one of the more equipped all-rounders in the South African squad currently. He has bowled 60 deliveries in T20 Internationals so far and bagged three wickets. With the bat, he only got a single T20I innings to prove himself where he attacked the Sri Lankan bowlers producing an unbeaten match-winning 77. Perhaps, he only has to work on his expensive spells.
Andile Phehlukwayo: Andile Phehlukwayo is perhaps a bowling all-rounder and a sheer wicket-taker by all means, hence a regular candidate in the South African team. Despite the fact that his strength is bowling, he has produced important cameos as a batsman as well and this is what makes him the complete package that the visitors need in order to crack the Indian code.
George Linde: One of the potential debutants is 27-year-old all-rounder George Linde, who bowls slow left-armers and has left a mark in the one day games against India A. A quality spinner in the side can always help in Indian conditions, and there is a high possibility that this uncapped all-rounder will make his T20I debut for South Africa in Mohali.
Bowlers
Kagiso Rabada: Kagiso Rabada, goes without saying, is one of the most talented fast bowlers in the world currently and his expertise pans from the longest to the shortest formats of the game. He was incredible in IPL 2019 and he is a force who can destroy any opposition single-handedly and with his experience on Indian soil, he will be a handful for the Indian batsmen.
Junior Dala: One for cracking the code of seasoned expert Rohit Sharma would be right-arm fast bowler Junior Dala, who was the leading wicket-taker for South Africa in T20Is against India when he played the home series in 2018. During that series, Dala bagged seven wickets from only three matches and often troubled the Indian batsmen with some surprise short-deliveries, often beating them for pace.
Anrich Nortje: In the recently concluded unofficial ODIs between India A and South Africa A, Anrich Nortje bagged seven wickets and finished as the joint-highest wicket-taker in the series. One major setback for South Africa before the World Cup was Nortje's thumb fracture that had ruled the fast bowler out of the ICC mega event. With the pace assistance at Mohali, the Proteas quick can yield good results. He'll likely make his T20I debut on Wenesday and bowl alongside Rabada.
