When one talks about India and South Africa battles, the first thing that springs to mind is the recent World T20 final which was pure ecstasy for a nation decorated in blue and possibly one of the most bitter pills to swallow for a country that epitomizes all the colours of the rainbow.
The scenes were indeed epic as the blue brigade marched through the Kensington Oval with smiles and pride galore which was in sharp contrast to the men in green and gold who looked rather bleak with teary eyes, reeling from yet another missed opportunity albeit this time in a prestigious final.
Perhaps a story the Protea fans have all but made peace with since time immemorial.
Having said this, that episode is water under the bridge now as these two powerhouses of world cricket once again are set to do battle in Protea land starting this evening.
Yes, the T20I season is back with India challenging the Protea might in four key battles spread across the length and breadth of the land touted as the economic motor of Southern Africa.
These two iconic nations have battled each other on 27 occasions in T20I cricket with India holding the edge of beating the Proteas 15 times vis-Ã -vis coming up short on 11 occasions with one match resulting in a no-contest.
Undoubtedly a proud statistic if you are an Indian fan, and interestingly the first time India played the shortest format internationally was against South Africa way back in December 2006, with Dinesh Karthik flying the tri-colour high on that occasion.
So as another exhilarating battle between India and South Africa stirs up, lets dive into what to expect:
The returning Protea stars, could give South Africa the edge
Having taken a break from international cricket since the ill-fated T20 World Cup final, the cream of South Africa’s limited overs contingent is back in the destructive right-hander, Heinrich Klaasen and his compatriot, the sizzling southpaw, David Miller.
With their return, the Protea middle order looks very solid with the likes of captain Markram and Stubbs for company and perhaps all four individually and collectively are more than capable of destroying any attack on their day.
Also making a comeback to the national team are the towering all-rounder in Marco Jansen and the scintillating speedster in Gerald Coetzee who possibly solidify the Protea lower-order in batting and make their bowling look as lethal as they come.
Supporting them are the crafty left-arm orthodox spinner in Keshav Maharaj and the accurate speedster in Ottneil Baartman who are more than capable of castling any opposition when their time is right.
So, all in all the Proteas with the much-needed fire power and experience look solid and perhaps hold the edge to beat the young Indian outfit in their home conditions, which the men in green and gold are more than familiar with.
Despite being short on experience, Team India would aim to fly high
When your captain is SKY, you ought to fly high!
Perhaps, that’s the mantra Team India would want to imbibe with Surya Kumar Yadav a.k.a SKY, the man at the helm. The hard-hitting captain surely would look to instil the much-needed confidence and self-belief in this young outfit.
The new T20I leader would be backed by the experience of Hardik Pandya, Sanju Samson and Aksar Patel who could play a crucial role in leading this RAW unit. Supported by emerging stars, the likes of Rinku Singh, Tilak Varma, and Yash Dayal ready to shine, Team India will aim to defy the odds and make a statement on foreign soil.
With the scars of the New Zealand defeat still reeling fresh in the minds of the Indian fans, this team certainly would have motivation galore to turn the tide and bring some happiness to the 1.4 billion people back home in a different format against a new rival.
So as the contest is all but ready to take shape in a few hours, expect thrilling batting duels, tightly contested bowling spells, and a battle of wits between the captains.
This series promises a feast of high-intensity cricket that fans won’t want to miss!