India vs South Africa, 3rd T20I: Dissecting key player battles
What's the story
India will take on South Africa in the third match of their five-match T20I series. The game is set to be played at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium in Dharamsala from December 14. With the series being poised at 1-1, the stakes are high in the upcoming game. Meanwhile, here we decode the anticipated player battles that can be on display in the upcoming game.
#1
Quinton de Kock vs Jasprit Bumrah
In a stunning display of batting prowess, South African opener Quinton de Kock scored a blistering 90 runs off just 46 balls in his previous outing. While he would want to make his willow talk again, India's ace pacer Jasprit Bumrah will be determined to contain him with his thunderbolts. According to ESPNcricinfo, Bumrah has dismissed de Kock once across six T20 meetings.
#2
Abhishek Sharma vs Lungi Ngidi
The current top-ranked T20I batter, Abhishek Sharma, was guilty of throwing away starts in the first two matches. He would want to make amends in the upcoming game. Meanwhile, the southpaw will be challenged by ace South African pacer Lungi Ngidi in the powerplay. The latter has dismissed Abhishek once across three T20 meetings. The Indian batter has gathered 20 runs off 11 balls in this battle.
#3
Suryakumar Yadav vs Marco Jansen
The battle between India's T20I captain Suryakumar Yadav and South Africa's Marco Jansen could also be enticing. The former has endured a tough run in T20Is this year, having scored just 205 runs at an average of 14.35. However, he will be eager to regain his form. Notably, Jansen trapped him in the second T20I. The left-arm pacer could again challenge him with his angle and bounce.