After a washout at Dharamsala, India got their home season underway with a thumping win against South Africa in the second T20I at Mohali.
Virat Kohli’s quickfire 72 along with a good performance from fast bowler Deepak Chahar meant that India didn’t have to break a sweat to post the victory.
Come the final T20I in Bangalore, India would like to seal the series and then move ahead to the Test series with momentum in hand. But the Proteas aren’t going surrender to the opposition meekly.
We take a look at four key battles which could decide the outcome of the game and the series.
Quinton De Kock vs Washington Sundar
In his 11-match T20I career, Sundar has a brilliant economy rate of 6.18 that makes him a potent bowler in the power plays. He gave away only 19 runs in his 3 overs in the encounter at Mohali and would be required to the do the same in Bengaluru.
Up against him at the top of the order will be Proteas skipper De Kock, who showed some fine form and smashed a fifty in the last game. Sundar would look to contain the southpaw and dismiss him early for he looked like the only batsman whom South Africa can bank upon.
Temba Bavuma vs Deepak Chahar
In his rather small career, Deepak, has already managed to make a mark for himself in the T20Is. Be it his 3/4 against the West Indies or 2/22 in the previous match against South Africa, his ability to swing the ball both ways has troubled the batsmen.
He will be up against Bavuma, who has been in India for quite some time now to prepare for the series and is aware of the conditions here. With a promotion to No.3, Bavuma would look to tackle the Chahar threat and take his team to a desirable total.
Virat Kohli vs Tabraiz Shamsi
There is no doubting Kohli’s greatness, as he averages over 50 in all the formats. But for quite sometime now the oppositions round the world have found him wanting against leg-spinners, at least in the shorter formats.
South Africa would look to use a similar ploy in the form of Shamsi, who was the pick of the bowlers in the second T20I and had got a wicket too.
This time round Shamsi would like to dismiss the big fish and put his team in a position of strength. On the other hand, Kohli would like to pick up from where he left off.
Rohit Sharma vs Kagiso Rabada
Rohit might have missed out to score big in the second T20I, but he would be itching to make up for the lost opportunity. To do that he will have to tackle the Rabada threat.
Though not in the best of the form right, Rabada is one of the best fast bowlers in this generation and will find a way to bounce back. The outcome of this battle could also have a direct effect on the match.
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