The Indian team's current trip to South Africa began on a frustrating note after Sunday's first T20I in Durban was washed out. The second T20I is scheduled for Tuesday, December 12, in Gqeberha, where Suryakumar Yadav's energetic young side will be fighting for an early advantage. After the T20s and a three-match ODI series, the competition moves into a two-Test series, seeing the return of senior stars like Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Jasprit Bumrah to the lineup.
Men in Blue’s ongoing tour against South Africa started on a disappointing note as the first T20I got abandoned due to rain in Durban on Sunday. The second T20I match will be played on December 12, Tuesday at Gqeberha. India’s young and energetic guns led by T20 specialist batter Suryakumar Yadav will look for a perfect start. Following the T20Is and three-match ODI series, both teams will compete in a two-match Test series, with skipper Rohit Sharma, star batter Virat Kohli, and senior pacer Jasprit Bumrah joining the squad.
As the teams gear up for the red-ball matches, Jacques Kallis, the veteran South African all-rounder, highlighted that Kohli's ability to adapt to South African conditions will be vital for India. Kallis believes Kohli is driven to make a significant impact during this tour, noting that his current momentum is high. In Kallis's view, if India wants to come away with a series win, they will need Kohli to be at the top of his game.
Kallis described Kohli as a world-class athlete regardless of the venue, noting that his previous success in South Africa allows him to mentor younger teammates on how to handle the specific challenges of these pitches. Kohli enters the series in peak condition, coming off a dominant ODI World Cup where he scored 765 runs and was named Player of the Tournament. Furthermore, he proved his consistency in the last WTC cycle, topping India's run-scoring charts with 932 runs over 30 innings. While Kallis acknowledges the strength of the Indian squad, he warned that South Africa is incredibly difficult to beat at home, predicting a hard-fought and exciting series.
Kohli is in supreme form, having scored 765 runs in the ODI World Cup to earn Player of the Tournament honors. Kohli also scored 932 runs in 30 innings to become India’s leading run-scorer during the previous WTC cycle. This is a good Indian team but South Africa is tough to beat in their backyard. It will be a good series and a closely fought contest, Kallis concluded.