Double trouble for SA?
Cuttack: The return of Shubman Gill and Hardik Pandya will lend fresh sheen and much-needed completeness to reigning world champions India when they begin their official march towards the home T20 World Cup with the opening match of a five-game series against South Africa, here on Tuesday.
This series marks the start of India’s formal build-up to the February showpiece, where they will play 10 T20Is -- five against South Africa followed by another five against New Zealand -- before opening their title defence against the USA at the Wankhede on February 7.
The defending champions will look to enter this phase with clarity of intent as they refine roles, streamline combinations and settle the XI that will carry the weight of expectations in front of home crowds.
India have been a formidable T20I unit post their World Cup triumph in the format last year, where they won eight matches in a row to lift the title.
Since then, they have extended their tally to 26 wins with only four losses, including a seven-match streak during their Asia Cup victory in Dubai.
They have not lost a T20I series in this period, and with only minor tweaks needed, they will be hoping to sharpen the edges against the side they defeated in the T20 World Cup final.
Gill’s return comes after he missed almost a month of cricket owing to a neck spasm suffered while attempting a slog sweep during the opening Test against the Proteas.
Having played non-stop cricket since the last IPL and with India facing a packed season ahead, his workload management will be closely monitored.
But for Gill, who has 837 runs from 33 T20Is at an average of 29.89, this series also doubles up as vital preparation heading into the ICC event.
His reunion with Abhishek Sharma brings back a high-impact opening pair that marries brute force with clean, classical strokeplay.
Abhishek, fresh from a standout tour of Australia where he topped India’s scoring charts with 163 runs in the 2-1 victory, has been in monstrous domestic touch.
In the Syed Mushtaq Ali T20s, the Punjab left-hander hammered 304 runs at an average of 50.66 and a staggering strike rate of 249-plus.
