Follow UsIndia are 0-2 down, a situation that they have not known for ages at home. The opposition is their nemesis, South Africa, who have had the upper hand over India since the start of this year. A venue change too hasn’t helped India a lot. With the backs against the wall, can India start their comeback in Vishakhapatnam?
Ground Details and Team Combination
Yet again, we are at a venue where only two T20Is have been played thus far – Dr Y.S.Rajasekhara Reddy ACA VDCA Cricket Stadium. But from the two games that have been played at the venue, spinners clearly have an advantage over the pacers, with an average of 18.6. 11 wickets have been taken by pacers at the venue, averaging 2.8 wickets/innings.
It isn't a high-scoring venue, with 151 being the average first-innings score in 121 T20s. If a team is put to bat first, like India were on Sunday, they would have to consider any total in the proximity of 170 to seal a win at the venue. Teams batting second have a marginal advantage over teams batting first, with 34 wins against 29 wins.
Ravichandran Ashwin is the top-wicket taker at the venue, with four wickets, conceding just eight runs. Five out of the top ten bowlers at the venue are spinners, which shows a pattern that you should consider before making your team for Tuesday’s clash.
Suggested Team
While you could go for the above team, you also have the option of choosing your team from Cricket.com’s Fantasy Research Centre. You can use this tool to build your team with the help of algorithms. Then, based on your preferences, the platform will guide you through creating the ideal fantasy XI.
Captain and vice-captain suggestions
For Small leagues: Ishan Kishan (captain), David Miller (vice-captain)
For Grand leagues: Yuzvendra Chahal (captain), Anrich Nortje (vice-captain)
Stats that Matter
• It is worth noting that two of the top wicket-takers in this series – Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Anrich Nortje have been pacers, with eight wickets in between them, averaging 17.5.
• Only 20 overs of spin have been bowled thus far in the series, with only four wickets for the spinners.
• Shreyas Iyer hasn’t been dismissed yet by a spinner in the series, with 44 runs in 20 deliveries, striking at 220.
• Vishakhapatnam hasn’t produced high-scoring encounters in T20Is thus far, with an average of 104.75 per innings, favouring the bowlers.
• In 126 T20 innings at the venue, the average first innings score reads 151 and the average winning score in the first innings, 170.
Grand League Punts
• Spinners have done well at the venue, considering that and not just Chahal’s recent form, the leg-spinner could be an ace up your sleeve. Considering how the last two games have gone, Chahal could make a strong comeback here in the third.
• Heinrich Klaasen could be a great punt for the third encounter because this is a venue where spinners have had a big say. Klaasen in 20 T20Is, has only been dismissed five times by spinners, averaging 47 and striking at 161.
• Anrich Nortje is South Africa’s leading wicket-taker in this series, with three wickets. Even though he is a high-risk pick, India’s struggle against raw pace this series could fetch you a lot of points.
• While Ruturaj Gaikwad hasn't yet performed in the Indian colours, picking him in your team for the Grand League could be the differentiator, with over 2400 runs in the shortest format against his name, averaging 34.25 and a strike rate of 132.7.
Probable XIs
India XI: Ishan Kishan, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Shreyas Iyer, Rishabh Pant (c and wk), Hardik Pandya, Deepak Hooda/Axar Patel, Dinesh Karthik, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Harshal Patel, Yuzvendra Chahal, Avesh Khan/Umran Malik
South Africa XI: Temba Bavuma (c), Reeza Hendricks/Quinton de Kock, Rassie van der Dussen, David Miller, Heinrich Klaasen (wk), Dwaine Pretorius, Wayne Parnell, Keshav Maharaj, Tabraiz Shamsi, Kagiso Rabada, Anrich Nortje