DURBAN: South Africa start a four-match Twenty20 international series against India at Kingsmead on Friday, just over four months after the visitors beat them in the T20 World Cup final.

Both squads show significant changes from the sides that played in Barbados, where India lifted the trophy with a seven-run win.

South Africa will be missing their three most successful bowlers from the World Cup campaign — fast bowlers Kagiso Rabada and Anrich Nortje and left-arm spinner Tabraiz Shamsi, as well as batsman-wicket-keeper Quinton de Kock.

With most of India’s leading players preparing for a Test series in Australia, there are only four survivors from the World Cup-winning team — captain Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Panday, Axar Patel and Arshdeep Singh.

South African coach Rob Walter acknowledged the reality of having to prepare a team at a time of congested and often conflicting schedules.

“The worlds of short-form cricket, leagues and Test matches are starting to encroach on each other. We’re seeing that with other sides around the world having to field two different squads.

“We want to be in the same position and know that we’re strong enough to win on both fronts.

“Cricket is in a tenuous position and it’s going to take some seriously strong management to make sure that we look after our players first and foremost so that when they do play for South Africa, they’re there to deliver their best performances.”

Walter is at least able to call on in-demand franchise stars such as David Miller, Heinrich Klaasen, Marco Jansen and Keshav Maharaj, which was not the case when South Africa were beaten in their most recent T20 international against Ireland in Abu Dhabi in September.

The four matches were originally due to be played on India’s tour of South Africa in 2021-22 but were postponed because of Covid restrictions.

The tour will provide a financial bonanza for Cricket South Africa because of revenues from Indian television.

It will also provide fringe players in the Indian squad, such as uncapped Ramandeep Singh, Vijaykumar Vyshak and Yash Dayal, a chance to make an impact ahead of the scheduled Indian Premier League player auction in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, on November 24-25.

Squads:

SOUTH AFRICA: Aiden Markram (captain), Ottneil Baartman, Gerald Coetzee, Donovan Ferreira, Reeza Hendricks, Marco Jansen, Heinrich Klaasen (wicket-keeper), Patrick Kruger, Keshav Maharaj, David Miller, Mihlali Mpongwana, Nqaba Peter, Ryan Rickelton (wicket-keeper), Andile Simelane, Lutho Sipamla (third and fourth matches only), Tristan Stubbs.

INDIA: Suryakumar Yadav (captain), Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson (wicket-keeper), Rinku Singh, Tilak Varma, Jitesh Sharma (wicket-keeper), Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Ramandeep Singh, Varun Chakaravarthy, Ravi Bishnoi, Arshdeep Singh, Vijaykumar Vyshak, Avesh Khan, Yash Dayal.

Published in Dawn, November 7th, 2024