SA vs IND 2024/25, SA vs IND 1st T20I Match Report, 8th November 2024

On By Littum

South Africa chose to bowl w India

Aiden Markam decided to chase in the first game of South Africa’s international home summer, with a line-up full of all-rounders. Both Marco Jansen and Gerald Coetzee were included in the XI for the first time in almost four months in their respective returns from injury and fitness blocks. Patrick Kruger, who has played on both sides of the T20 World Cup, retained his place and South Africa included a fourth seam-bowling all-rounder in debutant Andile Simelane. The occasion was made extra special for the 21-year-old, who plays his domestic cricket in Durban.
South Africa also have the option of two specialist spinners in left-armer Keshav Maharaj and leg-spinner Nqabayomzi Peter, while Markram can also bowl. Markram’s regular opening partner Reeza Hendricks was ruled out with illness.

India went heavy with two leg-spinners in Varun Chakravarthy and Ravi Bishnoi, left-arm spinner Axar Patel, left-arm seamer Arshdeep Singh and right-arm quick Avesh Khan. There was no place for the unoccupied all-rounder Ramandeep Singh. Abhishek Sharma and Tilak Varma could also bowl spin. Their batting was headlined by Sanju Samson, Suryakumar Yadav and Hardik Pandya, but ends with Axar at no. 7.

Suryakumar was happy to bat first on a surface that should suit big run-scoring in full-match conditions. Despite some gray clouds overhead, a strong breeze should keep them moving and the large crowd entertained.

South Africa: 1 Ryan Rickelton, 2 Aiden Markram (capt), 3 Tristan Stubbs, 4 Heinrich Klaasen (wk), 5 David Miller, 6 Patrick Kruger, 7 Marco Jansen, Andile Simelane, 9 Gerald Coetzee, 10 Keshav Maharaj, 11 Nqabayamzi Peter.

India: 1 Sanju Samson (wk), 2 Abhishek Sharma, 3 Suryakumar Yadav (capt), 4 Tilak Varma, 5 Hardik Pandya, 6 Rinku Singh, 7 Axar Patel, 8 Arshdeep Singh, 9 Ravi Bishnoi, 10 Avesh Khan Chakravarthy, 11.