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Shubman, Hardik return as India face the SA T20 test
The 2024 World Cup champions and runners-up will look to fit in their final pieces before the 2026 edition
Kolkata: In no other format are India as comfortable or confident as Twenty20. So, they will be expected to confidently get into the business end of a tour that began with a 0-2 hiding in Tests. The tempo is high in this format, as it should be on the back of stitching seven consecutive T20I series wins since the 2024 T20 World Cup with a 24-4 win-loss record.
Two more bilateral series and India have the chance to pull off a rare feat of going into February’s T20 World Cup at home with an all-win series record. Proven sides like South Africa — runners-up of the 2024 T20 World Cup — and New Zealand are expected to stretch them though, beginning on Tuesday. In the context of the build-up to the World Cup, India would like nothing better.
Suryakumar Yadav however put the marker further back. “Our 2026 T20 World Cup preparation began right after we won the T20 World Cup in 2024,” he said at the press conference in Cuttack on Monday.
“Because for any big tournament, you cannot think that the tournament is here and you have to start preparing. It’s like when we appear for exams in school, it is not like we try to study everything in the last four days. We study for a year or two. Our preparation is similar. The preparation started after the T20 World Cup 2024 got over. Since then, we have been trying new things and everything is working for us,” he said.
One of those new things was fitting Shubman Gill in the opening slot as a foil to Abhishek Sharma, starting from the Asia Cup in September. And although it has yielded an average of 28.77, which isn’t too different from Gill’s career average of 29.89, it’s the strike rate of 143.09 that must be giving India hope. He has recovered from a neck injury as well, Yadav confirming that at the press conference. Gill’s comeback thus allows India to return to the opening pair they are betting heavily on for the World Cup.
Equally crucial is how Hardik Pandya warms up to the role of seam bowling allrounder cum middle-order anchor. Out of action since the Asia Cup due to a quadriceps injury, Pandya is the most important balancing factor in a side that doesn’t believe in any particular batting order after the openers. Pandya featured in the ongoing Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy tournament, taking one wicket each against Punjab and Gujarat, with an unbeaten 77 off 42 balls to beat Punjab underscoring his batting intelligence. With Nitish Kumar Reddy not convincing yet, it’s important that Pandya not only fires but also stays fit throughout this five-game series.
“What you saw in the Asia Cup also, when he (Hardik) was bowling with the new ball, he opened up a lot of options, combinations for us with respect to the playing XI,” said Yadav. “That’s what he brings to the table. His experience, the way he has done well in all big games, all ICC events, ACC events. I think that experience will count a lot and his presence will definitely give a good balance to the side.”
Add to the intrigue an unfamiliar red soil pitch waiting at the Barabati Stadium for the first T20I against South Africa. Black soil pitches are the norm in this part of India but the abrupt change hasn’t got Yadav worried.
“I haven’t seen it (the pitch) yet. I think it should be good,” said Yadav. “Black soil would have been better, but I feel the red soil will also play well. A red-soil wicket can be quick too. Let’s see. If it’s fast, that’s good.”
Yadav maintained that India won’t tinker with the combinations too much, but reminded that the batting order will be kept dynamic. “All the batters from 3 to 7 are capable of batting at any position,” he said. “For example, you might see Tilak Varma batting at 6. As you saw in Australia, (Shivam) Dube went in to bat at No.3. It depends on the entry point of the batter. We have to be really flexible during that.”
Yadav also confirmed that both Sanju Samson and Jitesh Sharma will be in contention for the wicketkeeper-batter’s slot. “Sanju, when he came into the circuit, he batted higher up the order,” he said. “Now the thing is, other than the openers, everyone has to be flexible. He did really well when he opened the innings, but Shubman had played before him in the Sri Lanka series, so he deserves to take that spot.
“But we gave Sanju opportunities. He was ready to bat at any number... Both (Samson and Jitesh) are in the scheme of things... both can do all the roles. It’s an asset to the team and a good headache to have.”
