India v South Africa Second T20 Tips: Abhsihek to wreck Saffers

• Powerful India ease to 1-0 lead

• South Africa have batting worries
• Mullanpur wicket could be flat

• Visitors need to bat first

• Abhishek Sharma one to follow

India v South Africa
Thursday 11 December, 13:30
TV: Live on TNT

India v South Africa second T20 team news

India swatted aside South Africa in game one by 101 runs. it was the performance of a team who may be impossible to stop in next year's World T20 at home. They were in in a spot of bother at 48 for three on a tricky surface but recovered ominously to post 175.

Hardik Pandya hit 59 from 28 after Tilak Varma and Axar Patel has steadied the ship. With the ball there were two wickets each for Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, Varun Chakratharty and Axar.

They could make a change for game two if the wicket is dry. Kuldeep Yadav could come in for Shivam Dube. They may also consider adding Harshit Rana for Arshdeep if they go with that combination in case of batting worries.

Possible India XI: Abhishek, Gill, Yadav, Tilak, Axar, Hardik, Jitesh, Varun, Arshdeep, Bumrah

South Africa were razed for 74 and will no doubt try to find an extra batter from somewhere to rebuild some confidence. Two horrible collapses in the last two in white-ball on this tour have not been a good look.

An all-rounder for Lutho Sipamla would seem a sensible option. Or potentially Anrich Nortje who made a rare (and expensive) appearance. Corbin Bosch, who was a surprise omission, and George Linde are the only options.

Alternatively they could gamble on five bowlers only and bring in Reeza Hendricks alongside Quinton de Kock in the opening slot. 

Possible South Africa XI: De Kock, Markram, Stubbs, Brevis, Miller, Ferreira, Jansen, Bosch, Maharaj, Baartman, Ngidi

India v South Africa second T20 pitch report

There have been a whopping 34 T20 matches played at the venue since 2022. That's not ideal because there is, inevitably, a chunk of matches likely to have been played on used surfaces. The run rate at 7.8 suggests a tired surface certainly. And the majority of the games have been in the low-level Syed Mushtaq Trophy.

If we filter to IPL only we can look at 11 matches. The run rate is 8.80. More than 180 was busted five times and, again in a congested calendar of five games in four weeks and six in eight) the pitch held up well. The match saw Mumbai Indians make 228 against Titans and win by 20. Nine of the games were night matches with six won by the team batting first. 

Sportsbook go over 179.5 runs in the match at 5/61.84. This could be one where the go big but, obviously, they need to be batting first. The Exchange line will be higher for their first-innings runs but 200 looks on. 

India v South Africa second T20 match prediction

Indian now have ten wins in their last 12 on home soil (and one of those was a tie). They are immensely difficult to beat and are comfortably the best T20 team in the world. The odds of 1.434/9 are what one would expect.

We're left trying to make a case for a South Africa trade. There are two caveats. First, the pitch report must suggest a flat one full of runs. Look for sheen and listen out for the pundits' views. Then, we need South Africa to bat first.

On a good track batting first they have the potential to take a chunk out of that 3.259/4. A score of more than 180 should be enough to get some sugar back.

India v South Africa first T20 player bets

Hardik won for us on top bat at 9s for game one so we don't need to return to him. There is more than five percentage points in our favour on Abhishek Sharma at 10/34.33 for a top bat win in terms of return rate versus implied probability of the odds. A flat one would suit him immeasurably. Openers have started well and been unstoppable on this surface before, notably Priyansh Arya for Punjab in IPL who has a similar gung-ho style. 

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