Preview
After a washed out affair at Dharamsala, the teams arrive at Chandigarh with the scoreline still reading 0-0. While India would be eyeing an easy series win here, South Africa should see this as a prelude to the more difficult red-ball series. At Mohali, though, with dew and humidity, the fast bowlers could be handy and South Africa will bank on their pace attack to silence the Indians.
India, on the other hand, have an inexperienced pace attack but know that their newbie pacers are all fantastic when the ball moves around, which it should at Mohali. Deepak Chahar and Navdeep Saini alongside Hardik Pandya should be certain starters. Ravindra Jadeja will likely lead the spin attack that has room for one of Rahul Chahar or Washington Sundar and an all-rounder in Krunal Pandya.
Weather conditions and pitchÂ
Hot and humid Mohali await two teams who are comimg in after a torrential rainfall in Dharamsala. The quicks could be handy on this surface although we might see a high scoring encounter after a couple of rolls on the surface close to the game.
Probable playing XI
India
India are a tad undercooked with their batting in this format but it’s the bowling that will be in focus. Chahar, Saini and Jadeja should be key for them on this surface and it would do them good to not underestimate this South African batting line-up sans Faf du Plessis.
KL Rahul and Rohit Sharma should open with Virat Kohli back to his favoured no.3 position. With the Pandya brothers available as floating big hitters, the onus in the middle-order would be to set the platform for them. This brings some one like Shreyas Iyer into the picture. Unless they chose to go with Shikhar Dhawan at the top and bring Rahul at 4, they would need Iyer. But given the management’s reluctance to bench senior players, this could be the preferred combination although it clearly lacks in T20 dynamics.
Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan, Virat Kohli, KL Rahul, Rishabh Pant, Krunal Pandya, Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar/Khaleel Ahmed, Deepak Chahar, Navdeep Saini.
South Africa
The Proteas are inexperienced in key areas for this series and they should know that more than anybody else. Banking on their senior batsmen like Quinton de Kock, David Miller – whose IPL home ground for nearly seven years is Mohali – and Reeza Hendricks is likely the main plan. We should see Rassie van der Dussen also slot in which brings the dangerous Lions combination of Dussen and Reeza together again.
Batting coach Lance Klusener has strongly backed Temba Bavuma in this format and we could see him play in the middle to tackle India’s spinners. Andile Phehlukwayo should pip Dwaine Pretorius to the lone all-rounder’s spot while Kagiso Rabada, Beuran Hendricks and one of Anrich Nortje or Junior Dala could form the pace bowling attack. One of Bjorn Fortuin or George Linde should also make a debut.
Quinton de Kock, Reeza Hendricks, Rassie van der Dussen, Temba Bavuma, David Miller, Bjoin Fortuin, Andile Phehlukwayo, Kagiso Rabada, Anrich Nortje, Beuran Hendricks, Tabraiz Shamsi
Key players
Rishabh Pant : The wicket-keeper batsman may not get too many chances to replicate his domestic exploits at International level in coloured clothing. Ishan Kishan and Sanju Samson are close on his heels and Pant will know that this series is a big test to his temperament, especially after Ravi Shastri revealed with no qualms that Pant will be “rapped on the knuckles” irrespective of the talent he possesses.
Reeza Hendricks : He is South Africa’s highest run-scorer since 2018 in the format and is a rather understated force at the top in these conditions. Hendricks has been in India now for a while, participating in the spin camp and later in the South Africa A against India A series in Trivandrum. He should be well acclimatised now and could be a key figure in the limited-overs leg for the Proteas.