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india will take on South Africa in a three-match T20I series starting on September 28 at the Greenfield Stadium in Kerala. It will be India's final T20I series prior to the World Cup in Australia.
Rohit Sharma's men scripted a comeback series win against Australia earlier this month. India have now won nine consecutive bilateral white ball series under Sharma.
India will take on the Proteas in three T20Is followed by three One Day Internationals. The two teams faced each other in a five-match T20I series earlier this year, which ended 2-2.
The three upcoming games will be important for India to finalize their template for the T20I World Cup Down Under.
Here are three lessons India need to take ahead of their T20I rubber against the Proteas.
#1 Bhuvneshwar Kumar is not a reliable option during the death overs
Bhuvenshwar Kumar is an expert at swinging the new ball. India have also been using him at the back end of the innings due to his mastery of his line, length and great variety. However, Kumar has struggled of late to produce the goods for India in the death overs.
The veteran pacer had a horrid outing against Australia, conceding 91 runs in seven overs. He conceded 31 runs in the 12 deliveries he bowled during the death overs.
He struggled against Cameron Green at the start of the innings as well during the Australia series. However, India will know what a key component he is, especially due to his wicket-taking ability at the top of the order. He is India's highest wicket-taker during powerplays (98), ahead of Ravichandran Ashwin (66) and Ashish Nehra (61).
India will also note down that the medium pacer will be more effective on bowler-friendly pitches in Australia. India will need to manage his death overs and maybe use him more heavily upfront.
Kumar has been rested for the South Africa series, with Arshdeep Singh and Harshal Patel set to get a chance to prove their mettle. It is a slightly off-beat decision as this means that India will go into the World Cup without getting much practice with a settled bowling unit.
#2 Rohit Sharma's attacking template is paying off
Rohit Sharma's captaincy tenure has seen him receive a lot of criticism for his brand of cricket. The Mumbai Indians opener has made it clear that he wants his team to play attacking cricket and has led the way from the front.
It has cost him his wicket at times, with critics calling for his head whenever he loses his wicket via a cheap shot. However, what fans should understand is that this is a necessary peril.
However, the overall record for this method does indicate that things have worked in his favor. Rohit Sharma averages 40 runs in the powerplay at a strike rate close to 140.
The fast starts are crucial for India as it helps the rest of the team get into gear. India has a quality list of batters, which allows Sharma to play his blitzkrieg cricket. He will want KL Rahul to join him in the counter-charge hunt going into the World Cup. Their success at the top might be India's key to a winning campaign Down Under.
#3 Axar Patel emerging as a powerplay option is a positive
When Ravindra Jadeja picked up his injury at the Asia Cup, it left India rattled. The news that he will not be ready for the World Cup put a serious dent in the team's plan for the mega event.
Luckily, India did not have to look too long to find a suitable replacement. Axar Patel has grabbed the chance with both hands.
While Jadeja's fielding remains unparalleled, both players are more or less equally effective as floating batters int he team. When it comes to the bowling aspect, Jadeja is extremely good at containing the opposition. This is where Patel streaks ahead.
He is not only a good economical bowler but also picks up regular wickets for the country. Moreover, Patel has shown his caliber at doing this by bowling in the powerplay overs. His performance against Australia has convinced everyone of Patel's ability to replace Jadeja for the World Cup.
It also allows Yuzvendra Chahal to bowl comfortably after the powerplay and continue the wicket-taking streak in the middle overs. Jadeja is an asset India cannot completely replace but Axar Patel brings several qualities of his own that improves the team.
