India-South Africa T20I Series: India aim to extend golden run
Sanju Samson will look to continue his domination of the bowlers but India need more stability in the top order when they clash with South Africa in the second T20I, aiming to extend their superior run in the shortest format. Samson’s stunning 107 off 50 balls powered India to a commanding 61-run victory in the series opener, but the lack of runs from other key batters remains a concern for the visitors.
The continued failure of opener Abhishek Sharma, who has squandered multiple opportunities, would be worrying the team management. Apart from his memorable 47-ball century against Zimbabwe in Harare earlier this year, Sharma has struggled for runs with scores of 0, 10, 14, 16, 15, 4 and 7 in recent outings. The left-hander’s lack of consistency at the top of the order could prompt India to rethink their options moving forward. While the team management is unlikely to make changes to the playing XI, it will be disappointed with Sharma’s continued failure.
Tilak Varma showed promise with a quick-fire 33 off just 18 balls in the first match but will need to convert such cameos into bigger knocks. Varma has been largely off the radar since his last appearance, against Afghanistan in January, and with competition for spots in the middle order heating up, the young batter will want to cement his place in the side.
Skipper Suryakumar Yadav also got a start but fell cheaply, while all-rounder Hardik Pandya was unable to live up to his potential in the opening match.
India’s middle order, which looked solid on paper, struggled to build partnerships as they lost six wickets for just 36 runs, slipping from a commanding 166/2 to 202/8.
This collapse highlighted the fragility of India’s middle and lower order, something that they will aim to address in the second T20I.
In the bowling department, India were clinical as they restricted South Africa to just 141 in 17.5 overs in the opening match. Varun Chakravarthy continued his excellent form from the Bangladesh series with a brilliant three-wicket haul, while Ravi Bishnoi was equally impressive, claiming 3/28.
The two spinners did well to contain South Africa’s powerful batting lineup on a relatively flat Durban pitch. India’s pace duo of Arshdeep Singh and Avesh Khan also played their part. With the bowling attack firing on all cylinders, India will be confident of another strong performance in the second T20I, where they will aim to take a 2-0 lead in the series.
Doubted ability after failures: Samson
India batter Sanju Samson reflected on his early struggles in international cricket, saying that a string of failures made him doubt his ability, but self-belief and support of the captain and coach helped him stage a strong comeback. “I have faced a lot of failures in my career. I think when you go through that failure, you have lot of doubts in your mind. People definitely say that social media definitely plays a role,” Samson said. “But you also think a lot about yourself. Am I not made for international level, because I think I am doing well in IPL? Why am I not doing well internationally? So I have a lot of such thoughts. But after so many years of experience, I know what my ability is.”
“If I spend some time at the wicket, then I have the shot-making ability against spin and pace and I know that I can definitely contribute well for the team. I can win the match. This is also a reality.
Samson, who turns 30 on Monday, has often been criticised for not fulfilling his potential despite abundant talent. The Kerala batter acknowledged the crucial support he received from captain Suryakumar Yadav and coach Gautam Gambhir during his low phase. PTI
