The Test series belonged to South Africa 2-0 while India bounced back to take the ODIs 2-1. Now the focus shifts to the format that matters most ahead of the February T20 World Cup.
Quick picture
India have won four of the last five T20Is against South Africa and enter this series as the top ranked T20I side in the world. The Proteas sit fifth. India also boast three batsmen in the ICC top ten. Abhishek Sharma is number one Tilak Varma sits at five and skipper Suryakumar Yadav is at eight. South Africa’s best ranked batter is Dewald Brevis at eleven yet he owns the highest individual T20I score by any Protea.
On the bowling side India have the trump card. Varun Chakaravarthy is the top ranked T20I bowler in the world and the only player from either squad inside the top ten.
Team news
Shubman Gill returns after missing the ODI series while for the Proteas this five match run is a key warm up for the World Cup in India. Once this series wraps they head straight into four T20Is against the West Indies.
South Africa welcome a few big names back. Tristan Stubbs returns after a break. Reeza Hendricks slots in as a T20I regular and both Anrich Nortje and David Miller finally rejoin the squad after injury layoffs.
Venue: Barabati Stadium Cuttack
This ground comes with a quirky history. South Africa have played two T20Is here and won both against India. India have won only once in three matches at this venue that victory came against Sri Lanka in 2017.
Barabati has hosted only three T20Is and in all three the toss winning captain chose to field first. The average first innings total is 140. India’s 180 for 3 against Sri Lanka is the highest score seen here while South Africa’s chase of 149 for 6 against India in 2022 is the best successful pursuit.
Weather
Cuttack will be mostly cloudy on Tuesday with a pleasant high of 27 and a low of 14. Humidity stays at a manageable 45 percent and the breeze will be gentle which points to dry predictable conditions.
Form guide
India: NR W W L NR
South Africa: L L W L A
Key players
India Abhishek Sharma
The world’s top ranked T20I batsman is coming in scorching hot. He exploded for 148 for Punjab little more than a week ago and has since added 50 34 and 62. His strike rate of 189.51 is the highest in the history of international T20Is.
South Africa Dewald Brevis
Brevis suits the format perfectly. He hits clean straight and often. His unbeaten 125 against Australia earlier this year was a statement. He enters this match with 400 T20I runs. More than half of those runs come in sixes and another big portion in fours. He operates at a strike rate of 180 and has the power to change the match in a handful of balls.
Prediction: India
Expect a tight contest but India should edge it. They are the best team in the world playing at home and their batting depth plus Chakaravarthy’s influence give them the edge. South Africa will come in confident and with nothing to lose which makes them dangerous but this opener still leans India.
Value bet
South Africa to score the most sixes
Even if India win the match South Africa’s lineup is stacked with aerial hitters. Brevis Hendricks Miller and Stubbs can clear the ropes more freely than India’s more tempo driven order. At likely plus money this offers strong value.