India vs South Africa 1st T20I Highlights: Arshdeep, Suryakumar take IND to 8-wicket win on tough pitch against SA

KL Rahul reaches a half century as well in the process. That is that for the evening, folks. Rahul and SKY’s half centuries show just how good the latter has been. While Suryakumar ends the match unbeaten on 50 off 33, Rahul is on 51 off 56 and his strike rate certainly improved a lot towards the end of this match. Not much of meaningful analysis you can do in this match considering the kind if pitch that was on offer. Two things are for sure, Keshav Maharaj is invaluable to South Africa in more ways than one, and Suryakumar Yadav has got magic flowing in his veins at the moment. India would hope that doesn’t disappear in Australia later this year. 

Second consecutive fifty from SKY and this is certainly a special one. A tough surface to bat on, every single batter has struggled today but he has reached his half century in 33 balls. 

This time he creams it through covers. SKY takes India past 100 and he is now three runs away from his second consecutive T20I half century. “Somebody stop me!” is what he actually said through those two shots. 

Batting is an easy job you would think if you watch SKY bat at the moment. Low full toss from Rabada, SKY drives it straight past the bowler for a four. 

Low full toss again from Nortje, this time to Suryakumar and he slives it past point for a boundary. That is how the 15th over ends and the partnership between these two is now 74 off 54. 

Rahul gets one out of the middle of the bat and Nortje’s pace does the rest. Goes over cover and goes into the crowd. Should help Rahul’s strike rate a bit, he has scored 43 runs in 52 balls. This is one match where a strike rate like that would be pardoned though, a real beast of a pitch. 

Enjoy this form while it lasts, folks. SKY is a machine at the moment. Maharaj tosses it, Suryakumar goes inside out over covers for a big six, his third in a match in which most batters have struggled to hit even a four. 

Well these two have pretty much closed up any slight chance of India making a meal of this. Keshav Maharaj comes in to bowl the next over. Nortje has two overs left, Rabada has one, it is a mystery as to what South Africa are saving them for. 

That has gone along the ground to the deep mid-wicket boundary in about 2 seconds. Full from Shamsi and Suryakumar Yadav lets out an almighty whip to send that careening to the boundary. He reaches 26 off 20, India are 66/2 in 12 overs, 41 needed off 48.

Shamsi comes in to bowl the 12th. Googly gone wrong first up, Rahul goes down on a knee and pulls it over backward square leg. Strange decision from South Africa to take off Nortje considering they aren’t defending much. Could have certainly brought in Rabada instead of Shamsi, who is another spinner that SKY can score runs off. India have reached 59/2 in 11/1 overs

Short and wide from Maharaj, exactly what SKY is looking for and he cuts it past point for four. India get to 51/2 in 10.1 overs.  

Full at pace, as usual, on leg from Nortje so it is a bit of a hit-me delivery. And what a wonderful Rahul gave it, just whipping it over wide long on.

De Kock does well to dive and stop a wide delivery from going to the boundary but throws his gloves away immediately in pain. He was in some discomfort earlier as well. the physio comes out and it takes some time before De Kock is allowed to continue. He takes his position behind the stumps and lets another scorcher bang into his gloves. Wicketkeeping is not an easy job in Test cricket, oh wait this is a T20 match. Can be hard to forget considering this pitch. 

Nortje comes back to bowl his second over and this crowd lets out a roar, probably just relishing the contest more than anything else. He is boxing office, the South African pacer and this is a bowler’s match. 

The crowd applauds him on seeing the replay on the big screen. Suryakumar’s cut shot off Maharaj went past the point fielder and looked certain to reach the boundary but Rabada comes charging in at the boundary, puts in a perfectly tim

This time SKY is in full control. Full on leg at pace from Nortje and Suryakumar flicks it wonderfully over fine leg. Perfect timing and it goes all the way. 

That is just sheer pace doing the batter’s job. 146kph, Suryakumar tries to whip it over fine leg, it ends up taking the edge but goes over the deep third man  boundary instead. 

Nortje has got Kohli with his first ball of the match. Now this is worth watching, this pitch is clearly not made for T20 cricket and Nortje is going to be dangerous on this. For now, stunned silence in the stadium as Kohli goes. 

Kohli c de Kock b Nortje 3 (9), India 17/2 in 6.1 overs

India’s lowest ever score after powerplay in a T20I match. 

Rahul takes a hard slash, it takes the upper edge and flies over the slip cordon for four. Those lucky edges have been India’s main source of runs thus far. 

India’s current run rate is exactly 3, not something you get to see often in T20 cricket. Where Arshdeep and Chahar were making the most of the ball’s movement through the air, Rabada and Parnell have generated movement off the deck. Rabada comes back for the fourth and, get this, there are three slips in place for him. This isn’t Test cricket, remember. 

You would think that India had gained a wicket after Rohit fell because the crowd had risen up to roar for Virat Kohli, who walked in almost as soon as his captain started walking. But he has been pinned down by Rabada, who bowls three absolute jaffas to test Kohli’s outside edge. Before that, the first ball he faced in his innings took his inside edge. This is Test cricket stuff at the moment. 

Edged and gone! Rabada gets the first Indian wicket and it is that of the Indian captain. Full outside off but angling into the off stump as well, Rohit offers a rather weak forward defence and the ball takes the edge. Well the Indian pacers had swung in circles around the SA batters, now Rabada doing the same.  

Rohit Sharma c de Kock b Rabada 0 (2), India 9/1 in 2.2 overs

Full on leg from Wayne Parnell, who bowls the 2nd over, and Rahul flicks it away quite easily for his first and India’s first boundary of the match. 

Nothing for Rahul in that over, Rabada has him pinned down. If it weren’t for the fact that South Africa were limited to a score just above 100, this would be called a very good start for them. 

There seems to be a slight drizzle, as is often the case this time of the year in Kerala, and the groundsmen seemed primed to bring on the covers. But Rohit and Rahul rush on to the field and so there will be play. Not much rain and so stoppages look unlikely.  

Make no mistake, this has been a very good rebuild from South Africa. The Indians will probably be a little disappointed that they couldn’t hold down the visitors to a two-digit score but this is South Africa after all. They are bound to fight back in any situation and today, it was Keshav Maharaj who led that effort for them. 

Harshal finds the mark with the first ball of the final over. The home fans applaud Maharaj as he walks off, he may have given them a match to watch here. 

Keshav Maharaj b Harshal 41 (35), SA 101/8 in 19.1 overs

Single after that boundary and Maharaj has led South Africa to a three digit score at least. What an innings this is and he is certainly the silver lining for them in this game. 

Full outside off from Arshdeep and Maharaj just carves it through the empty cover region. That was a work of art and Maharaj moves to 40, SA are now on 99. 

Well Maharaj now correctly predicts that Arshdeep will go short and tonks him over deep point for a six. Interesting start to the over, Maharaj is absolutely towering over the ruins of the South African innings. 

Arshdeep brought back for the 19th over and looks like Maharaj knew that the young pacer will go for the yorker. That is exactly what Arshdeep tries but he misses and Maharaj gets in position early for a scoop over third man. 

Not a great delivery from Harshal but Maharaj does well to readjust, get bat on it and actually find the gap. Attempted slow ball gone wrong from Harshal, Maharaj was shaping up for a short one but then readjusts to swat it to the square leg. 

That is the end for Parnell and he has eaten up a lot of deliveries here. South Africa won’t blame him for it, in fact there is a chance that the Proteas won’t even consider this match in their larger preparation for the World Cup, certainly from a batting perspective. 

Parnell c Yadav b AR Patel 24 (37), South Africa 68/7 in 15.5 overs

That’s a good shot from Parnell. Short from Axar, 

Maharaj can hit them and he shows it. Chahar brought back for the 13th over and so this will be his last for the match. Attempts a bouncer for the third ball but doesn’t really generate the pace for it, Maharaj pulls it away over the boundary. 

And it has taken them 12 overs. The fact that they would get there was a bit of a doubt but here they are. Where do they go from here and will the Indian batters also find the going as tough as this are the questions to consider. It is highly unlikely though, Rahul has not looked great but that can hardly be said about Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli of late in the Indian middle order and, considering how things are currently going, India should not need any more than three batters to chase down whatever South Africa can set here. 

Wayne Parnell and Keshav Maharaj are out there, trying to salvage whatever they can from here. They can take solace from the fact that Arshdeep and Chahar have just one over left each. 

Seems like ruin is all South Africa have in their destiny for this match. India appeal for LBW, umpire shakes his head and Harshal Patel asks Rohit Sharma to take the DRS. Rishabh Pant backs him up and Rohit goes for it. Ball tracking shows that the ball would have hit middle stump. That is a big wicket. 

Markram lbw b HV Patel 25 (24), South Africa 42/6 in 8 overs

Predictable from Harshal, similar length bowled a few times now and Makram swings away to send the ball flying into the stands. Markram seems to be the only standing between South Africa and utter batting ruin. 

India reviewed for a caught behind off Arshdeep, who bowled the sixth over. Pretty strange from Rohit considering both the bowler and wicketkeeper were not really excited. The replays confirm that Aiden Markram is safe and India lose a review. Arshdeep and Chahar have bowled three overs each in this powerplay and now Ashwin comes on. 

And finally something you see normally in a T20 match. Chahar is no longer swinging it because of which Wayne Parnell finds the confidence to come down the track, make room and send the ball over extra cover.

Arshdeep didn’t get his hat-trick as he returns for the fourth over. The second is bowled full outside leg, Markram flicks it away for four. 

Well something extraordinary is happening here. Tristan Stubbs, the much heralded youngster, tries to cut it over point. Extra bounce from Chahar and the ball shoots up off the edge, third man comes in and takes the catch. Can this get any worse for South Africa? 

Stubbs c Arshdeep Singh b Chahar 0 (1), SA 9/5 in 2.3 overs

Oh a contender for ball of the series already! Arshdeep will be on a hat-trick whenever he comes bac next. South Africa have been shredded to pieces already! Arshdeep had got the last ball to shape out, he has brought this one and it runs through Miller’s gates to smash on to the stumps. 

Miller b Arshdeep Singh 0 (1), South Africa 8/4 in 2 overs

Swing, a nick and Rishabh Pant. 

Rossouw c Pant b Arshdeep Singh 0 (1), SA 8/3 in 1.5 overs 

Arshdeep Singh gets a wicket with his 2nd ball of the match, what a start for India! De Kock shapes up for the cut shot but the ball isn’t quite short enough, it takes the inside edge and slams on to the stumps. 

de Kock b Arshdeep 1 (4), South Africa 1/2 in 1.2 overs

He kept getting the ball to swing away and then an inswinger to bowl Bavuma over! Brilliant from Chahar. 

Bavuma b Chahar 0 (4), South Africa 1/1 after the 1st over

As said before, Bavuma is out and he is at the non-striker’s end with Quinton de Kock taking strike. Deepak Chahar has the ball in his hands. 

The South African captain has not played since the conclusion of their last series in India due to injury. He would be keen to shake off the rust. He has walked out to open the innings for the Proteas.  

Never have India been able to beat South Africa in T20I series at home. In fact, just thrice have India beat South Africa in bilateral T20I series, and two of those were one-off matches. All of those wins came away from home. It is very unusual for a team to be unbeaten against India in India in any format of the game. 

This is what the BCCI has said about it: “Jasprit Bumrah complained of back pain during India’s practice session on Tuesday. The BCCI Medical Team assessed him. He is ruled out of the first T20I.”

Ajit Agarkar and Pommie Mbangwa did the pitch report today. “Lovely stadium. Weather pretty good. As far as the dimensions are concerned the longest hit is straight – 76m. It’s around 64 to 66m square of the wicket. Nice even covering of grass, but it’s very very firm. Lots of runs scored on Indian pitches and this is no different. Because there is grass there might be some help with the new ball for pacers up front and there is a bit of dew, so the captains will have a watch.”

Pace great Dale Steyn just gave him a special mention in Star Sports’ pre-match show and with good reason. The 22-year-old has played some extraordinary innings in recent months, most noteworthy of which is the 72 he scored against England in Bristol in July. He made that score in, wait for it, 28 balls. He hit just two fours in that innings, but it didn’t matter really, as he also hit an eye-watering eight sixes. It gave England a real scare and it looked like South Africa could actually chase down the mammoth target of 235 that they had set but it was not to be in the end.

“We probably would have fielded first as well. Good going over the last couple of months. This is an important series for us and we want to continue all the good work. Guys always enjoy the India trip, the energy of the guys is up again and nice to be back in action after a couple of months. Different conditions to Australia but in terms of match practice, it is a great opportunity.”

“We are going to bowl first. It was a good wicket when we played here last time. Bit of green covering but it’s gonna be a good batting track. Very important to continue to do what you’re doing and keep that momentum in this format. Very healthy atmosphere in the group and we also want to make sure to tick all the boxes and so far we have been doing good and we just want to continue to do that. Hardik and Bhuvi are rested from the last series. Pant and Arshdeep come in for them. Bumrah and Chahal miss out. Deepak Chahar and Ashwin are back.”

Quinton de Kock(w), Temba Bavuma(c), Rilee Rossouw, Aiden Markram, David Miller, Tristan Stubbs, Wayne Parnell, Kagiso Rabada, Keshav Maharaj, Anrich Nortje, Tabraiz Shamsi

Rohit Sharma(c), KL Rahul, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant(w), Dinesh Karthik, Axar Patel, Ravichandran Ashwin, Harshal Patel, Deepak Chahar, Arshdeep Singh

So apart from Pandya and Bhuvneshwar being dropped, Jasprit Bumrah and Yuzvendra Chahal have been rested for this game. Bumrah developed a niggle in the morning. Arshdeep Singh and Rishabh Pant have been brought in alongwith Deepak Chahar and Ravichandran Ashwin.

“We are going to field first,” Rohit Sharma can be just about heard saying amid the absolute din in the stadium after winning the toss. 

It wasn’t too long ago that a visit from South Africa brought with it the anticipation of watching AB de Villiers. The former Proteas captain was a joy to watch regardless of the format but it was in T20Is that he used his full range of shots frequently. He may have retired but seems to have somehow passed on his powers to Suryakumar Yadav. The 32-year-old is playing a blinder in every alternate match it seems, even consecutive matches at times this year. He has recently risen to second in the T20I rankings and Indian fans will be rubbing their hands with glee with the prospect of watching him for three more games before India fly to Australia. 

The Greenfield International Stadium has hosted just two T20Is and one ODI so far in international cricket. The last match to be held here was a T20I against the West Indies. It was a one-sided affair but a rather surprising one, in the way that it was West Indies who beat India by eight wickets with nine balls to spare.

Since holding India to 2-2 draw in the last T20I series between the two countries, South Africa went and beat England in England 2-1. Then, they went and beat Ireland in Ireland 2-0. Now they have come to beat India in India… Rohit Sharma will hope that the poetic rhythm does not continue here. 

Mohammed Shami has not travelled for the first T20I. He had missed out the Australia series due to Covid-19. Deepak Hooda too is not ready due to a back injury. India will be without Bhuvneshwar and Hardik Pandya in this series, who will undergo conditioning-related training at the NCA in Bengaluru in the lead-up to next month’s World Cup.

Quinton de Kock(w), Temba Bavuma(c), Rilee Rossouw, Aiden Markram, David Miller, Tristan Stubbs, Dwaine Pretorius, Wayne Parnell, Kagiso Rabada, Anrich Nortje, Tabraiz Shamsi, Reeza Hendricks, Lungi Ngidi, Keshav Maharaj, Heinrich Klaasen

Rohit Sharma(c), KL Rahul, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant(w), Axar Patel, Dinesh Karthik, Deepak Chahar, Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Yuzvendra Chahal, Harshal Patel, Ravichandran Ashwin, Umesh Yadav, Shreyas Iyer, Shahbaz Ahmed

We might see a unique situation today where the biggest cheers would be for a player who is not playing in this series. The Indian team was met with “Sanju! Sanju!” chants at the Thiruvananthapuram airport and the players seemed to embrace it. Suryakumar Yadav could be seen showing Samson’s image on his phone to the delighted crowd while R Ashwin posted a selfie with the fans in the background with a caption that spoke about how much love they are showing for the wicketkeeper-batter. This is Sanju Samosn’s home ground after all, and so all the love is to be expected, with a lot of hate towards the selectors who have not selected him for this or the previous series and, more importantly, the T20 World Cup. 

Into the final stretch of preparations for the 2022 T20 World Cup now. Last year the tournament seemed to have almost hit India before they were ready really, having played just two series throughout the year before the tournament. That is far from the case this year, with India having faced almost any team they can possibly face in multiple countries before the tournament that will be held in Australia. In the end, there is South Africa to beat. The Proteas had toured earlier this year as well, stunning them to defeat in the first two matches before the five-game series ended in a draw. There were some absolute potboilers throughout that series, let us see how this one turns out.