South Africa and India are set to clash in a four-match T20I series starting on Friday in Durban, marking their first encounter since India’s triumph in the T20 World Cup final four months ago.
Both teams have undergone significant changes since that memorable match in Barbados. South Africa will be without key players like Kagiso Rabada, Anrich Nortje, Tabraiz Shamsi, and Quinton de Kock. India, too, has made alterations, with only four players from their World Cup-winning squad featuring in this series.
South African coach Rob Walter acknowledges the challenges of balancing overlapping cricket schedules. He emphasizes the need to manage players carefully to ensure they perform at their best when representing their country.
Despite the absences, South Africa has assembled a strong squad that includes franchise stars David Miller, Heinrich Klaasen, Marco Jansen, and Keshav Maharaj. India, on the other hand, will field a mix of experienced players and promising youngsters, including Ramandeep Singh, Vijaykumar Vyshak, and Yash Dayal.
The series holds financial significance for Cricket South Africa, with substantial revenue expected from Indian television broadcasts. It also provides an opportunity for India’s emerging talents to showcase their skills ahead of the upcoming IPL auction.
The schedule for the series is as follows:
* November 8: Durban
* November 10: Gqeberha
* November 13: Centurion
* November 15: Johannesburg
