After completing the T20I series against New Zealand, India faces South Africa in a warm-up match on Wednesday, February 4. As India prepares for the upcoming tournament, they are working to place every player in their ideal position to maximize performance.
Sanju Samson’s situation has been under scrutiny. Following a series of poor performances and Ishan Kishan’s strong showing in recent games, the management has decided to pair Kishan with Abhishek Sharma as openers for the warm-up match. Samson’s inconsistent form poses a risk, and the team wants to avoid issues during the tournament.
Suryakumar Yadav, upon winning the toss, chose to bat first and confirmed that Kishan would open alongside Sharma. This indicates uncertainty about Samson’s inclusion in the final playing XI for the T20 World Cup.
Kishan justified Suryakumar’s decision by scoring 53 runs off just 20 balls before retiring. He hit Anrich Nortje for 22 runs in four balls during the fifth over, showcasing his ability at the top of the order.
In recent form, Kishan excelled in the T20I series against New Zealand, amassing 215 runs in four innings, including a century in the last match, making him the second-highest scorer in the series. In contrast, Sanju Samson managed just 46 runs in five innings, averaging 9.2.
India is comfortable opening with two left-handers as long as they’re effective. The Kishan-Abhishek partnership achieved 80 runs in just 5.4 overs. These two players have the potential to create significant impact in the upcoming ICC tournament, as evidenced by their past performance.
Tilak Varma returned to the squad after an injury kept him out of the series against New Zealand. He is batting in his usual number three position. At the time of writing, India was scoring rapidly, with 146 runs for 2 wickets in just 10.5 overs. Varma was at 45 from 18 balls, while Suryakumar Yadav was at 19 from 9 balls.
