It's no secret that 2022 has been the year in which New Delhi, India's capital city, has been sweltering, with hints of the heatwave appearing as early as late March. With Delhi's summer peaking in April, the temperature began to rise steadily, despite some unseasonal rain in late May.
In this hot environment, South Africa arrive in the city on Thursday to begin their T20I series against India. However, according to team captain Temba Bavuma, the temperatures have been far above their expectations for Delhi weather.
"It was going to be hot, but not this hot. We are lucky that the games are held at night, when the weather is cooler. Guys strive to look after themselves as much as possible during the day and drink a lot more water than they do at home. And they should maintain their minds as fresh as possible "On the eve of the series opener, Bavuma told reporters.
The temperature has been exceedingly warm since the South African team landed in India on June 2, routinely reaching 40 degrees and above.
The temperature is projected to be 38 degrees on Thursday when the teams take the field at Arun Jaitley Stadium, with 42 degrees being the highest temperature predicted for the day. Despite the fact that the India Meteorological Department (IMD) predicts rain in Delhi on June 10, both teams would have gone for the second match in Cuttack, Odisha.
"It's not something we're used to back in the United States. Cramping, hydration, and weariness are all major considerations. We don't have a lot of time, and the only way to get used to it is to play in it, which we will be doing in competitive games. As I previously stated, hydrate yourself as much as possible, regulate your energies as much as possible, and try to recuperate as much as possible before and after the games. Once you're in the game, you have to attempt to stay in the fight, and hopefully your body can keep up "Bavuma threw in his two cents.
Rishabh Pant, his Indian counterpart and hometown boy who was named captain in a last-minute change after KL Rahul was ruled out of the entire series owing to a right groyne injury, believes his squad will take the heat in stride and focus solely on Thursday's encounter.
"This is the first time in a long time that we've played in these kinds of conditions in India. However, I believe the heat is a factor. We can become dehydrated and fatigued too soon. But, in my opinion, it's all part of the game. All we have to do now is keep developing, try not to think about the heat too much, concentrate on our game and strategies, and wait to see how the game plays out."
India has been a happy hunting ground for the visitors, who are competing in a T20I series for the first time since the Men's T20 World Cup last year. In 2015, they won 2-0, and in 2019, they drew 1-1. It will also be South Africa's first match against India after victories of 2-1 and 3-0 in Tests and One-Day Internationals earlier this year.
Bavuma had previously stated that they want to attain top-order consistency in the series against India. Bavuma hinted at a top-order partnership with wicketkeeper Quinton de Kock on the eve of the Delhi T20I.
Another key player in South Africa's plans, tearaway pacer Anrich Nortje, is slowly returning to cricket after a persistent hip injury kept him out of the team's matches after the World Cup until the start of the IPL 2022, where he appeared in six matches for Delhi Capitals, scalping nine wickets but looking far from his best self. Bavuma was confident in the right-arm pacer's ability to find his stride against India.
"Anrich is a key player for us, and he's an important element of our bowling unit." He had just returned from a lengthy layoff due to injuries when he joined the IPL. However, the more he plays, the closer he will come to the levels he can achieve. He is a vital element of the team.