With just six Twenty20 Internationals remaining to determine their World XI before the West Indies and USA World Cup in 2019, India’s captain for the three-match series in South Africa, Suryakumar Yadav, isn’t overly concerned about the short game schedule. IPL 2024, which takes place before the T20 World Cup, Suryakumar continued, will aid India’s team management in finalizing their lineup.
“On the eve of the series opener against South Africa in Durban, I feel there are limited T20s going forward, before the T20 World Cup, but then we play 14 league games in the IPL as well,” Suryakumar remarked. The players participating in these T20 internationals have gained a great deal of experience and have participated in numerous games. Therefore, we don’t believe that there will be a difficulty or issue while choosing the team because everyone is quite aware of their tasks and responsibilities, including how to play in various scenarios.”
Before the 2024 World Cup, South Africa, like India, only has six T20 Internationals scheduled. Apart from the benefit of participating in three Twenty20 Internationals in the Caribbean before the main event, South Africa may also select players from the SA20, which takes place from January 10 to February 10.
Aiden Markram, their captain, remarked, “It’s a strange one.” “It’s not ideal that we only have six games [before the T20 World Cup], but we’re lucky that SA20 and the domestic T20 league follow, which provide plenty of opportunities for T20 cricket. We shall cross our fingers that everyone will be healthy and prepared to play for us when it comes to choose the World Cup team. However, the players will be engaged in Twenty20 cricket, and in the end, we’ll be able to determine a fair assessment of our strongest team to take to the World Cup.”
India’s new finishers, Rinku Singh and Jitesh Sharma, are the center of attention. Both hitters’ middle-order firepower has lit up the IPL, and they recently displayed tidbits of that firepower at home against Australia in the T20Is. They have the chance to improve their chances of being chosen for the T20 World Cup with this tour.
Suryakumar remarked, “You see, Rinku and Jitesh are being given an opportunity here at the same number they have been batting at in the IPL and for their state teams, and they are being told to do the same thing they do for their states and their franchises; [it’s] nothing different.” They have also demonstrated the kind of character that the team needed anytime we were in difficulties during the T20 series [against Australia]. All I said to them was to prioritize the team’s goals over your own, regardless of how you feel. That will improve the circumstances.”
India may also be concerned about the lack of a solid sixth bowling option in the wake of Hardik Pandya’s injury. In the home T20I series against Australia, India did not deploy the part-time spin of Yashasvi Jaiswal or Tilak Varma, but Suryakumar was happy with the choices available to him. Tilak participated in seven matches for Hyderabad in the domestic Twenty20 event, the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, and bowled in five of them.
Suryakumar stated, “We do have a sixth-bowling option.” “A large number of individuals are bowling. You’ll see when the time is appropriate. Not just six, but maybe seven or eight as well.”
The current Indian squad lacks experience playing Twenty20 internationals in South Africa, but Suryakumar believes they can adjust to the local conditions. The wickets at Kingsmead, the site of the first Twenty20 International, are more conducive to seam bowlers than spinners, and the square boundaries are rather short.
“I think the key to success playing on such wickets will be to be yourself,” Suryakumar stated. “The boys are really ready; we just finished a great T20 series and played on all of India’s fast tracks, so we’re well-prepared.” The hitters have experience batting on these types of wickets, so they should have fun playing in South Africa in terms of strokes.”
