India vs South Africa Statistical Preview - Everything you need to know about 3rd T20I in Bengaluru

Form Guide

India - W- N-W-W-W-L-L-L-W-L

Head to Head

South Africa - W5 and L9

No Result - 1

Bodog has again favoured India going into the encounter in Bengaluru and having won the Mohali T20I in spectacular fashion, it is not even close. The 9-5 head-to-head record is reflected in the picks and with Indian pacers easily adapting themselves to the international cricket, the chances of India winning increased manifold as is reflected by Bodog’s prediction.

Virat Kohli 

It is his arena, his pitch, and his “home”.  Virat Kohli has played at the Chinnaswamy more times than any other player and he will decide which move he wants to play first. It is due to this fact that he will hold the key to India’s success in Bengaluru. With an average of 40.83 against the Africans, Kohli has dominated them well enough in T20s and the kind of form he is in, expect another Mohali-like innings inside the small Chinnaswamy arena.

He might have scored only 12 runs in the last game but those runs came off two sweetly-timed sixes and that is enough to give a clear indication of his capability. Against the same opposition four years ago, Rohit went on to score his first T20I century and with the body of records that the Mumbaikar has - including an average of 35 against the Proteas - well, he can pull off some stunt in Bangalore too.

Although Bodog, in their analysis, has given a very minimalistic difference between Kohli and Rohit, it is sure to be propelled by the recency factor and what Kohli’s innings did to South Africa in the last game.

Navdeep Saini

Navdeep Saini has always been a handy bowler for Royal Challengers Bangalore, a trait that is not often been associated with a bowler who plays at the Chinnaswamy for the major part of his T20 career, but he is always the go to man for Kohli. Last year, Saini emerged as RCB’s best pacer, with 11 wickets to his name. Could be a big value player as Kohli doesn’t seem like changing his winning combination form Mohali. 

He is a powerplay bowler, and showed that aspect in Mohali. His IPL bowling average of 26.52 is often compounded by his wicket-taking prowess with the new ball and a decent economy rate of 7.63. With bowlers are expecting to have a terrible day at the office, Deepak Chahar might turn out to be the best bowler on the night.

While Saini might not be preferred by Bodog as his best bowler for the day, his experience of bowling, on a wicket which is a death trap for bowlers, has a great chance of coming out of the game as the best bowler in both sides.

From the four games that India have played at the venue, they have won a couple while losing a couple of games too. Last time, India have played a T20I at the venue, Glenn Maxwell played one hell of an innings to guide Australia to a domineering seven-wicket win over India. Ever since the new pitch has been laid out and subsequently resurfaced, the average first innings score rose to 165, that of course, includes the 2018-19 season of the Indian Premier League. In the last 10 years, teams batting first have won 52.1% of games while the corresponding number for batting second teams is at 42.1%. 

Boundaries

Squads

India’s T20I squad: Virat Kohli (C), Rohit Sharma (VC), Shikhar Dhawan, KL Rahul, Shreyas Iyer, Manish Pandey, Rishabh Pant (WK), Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Krunal Pandya, Washington Sundar, Rahul Chahar, Khaleel Ahmed, Deepak Chahar and Navdeep Saini.

Venue: M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru

When to watch: September 22, Sunday, 7 PM

Predicted XI:

India: Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan, Virat Kohli (c), Shreyas Iyer, Rishabh Pant (wk), Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Deepak Chahar, Rahul Chahar, Washington Sundar, Navdeep Saini 

T20 is a game with continuous ups and downs throughout the game. While you are on the edge of your seat, Bodog will keep providing insight on who still controls the narrative of the match.