IND vs SA: 5 Player battles to watch out for in the T20I series

The five-match home T20I series against South Africa is all set to begin on December 9, with the opener taking place in Cuttack. After losing the Test series, India won the ODI series against the Proteas, and now the focus shifts to the shortest format. These are five of the remaining 10 T20Is for the Men in Blue before the all-important ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, where India will look to defend the title they won in 2024.

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Here are the 5 player battles to watch out for in the IND vs SA T20I series

1. Aiden Markram vs Jasprit Bumrah

Aiden Markram is likely to open the innings, and his main goal will be to give South Africa a quick start in the first six overs. But he will face India’s premier pacer, Jasprit Bumrah. Bumrah’s in-swingers, out-swingers and his sharp accuracy can trouble Markram early in the innings. In T20Is, Bumrah is yet to dismiss Markram, but in IPL 2025, he did get his wicket.

2. Dewald Brevis vs Kuldeep Yadav

Dewald Brevis will be a key player to watch in this series. He is known for explosive batting, clear intent, and big hits. He will be crucial for South Africa while setting or chasing big totals. He will have to face Kuldeep Yadav in the middle overs. In the recent ODI series, Kuldeep dismissed Brevis twice in three innings, although Brevis still scored 34 off 28 balls against him at a strike rate of 121.4.

3. Abhishek Sharma vs Lungi Ngidi

Abhishek Sharma is the current No. 1-ranked batter in T20Is. 2025 has been a brilliant year for him, scoring 756 runs in 17 innings at an average of 47.25 and a strike rate of 196.36, including five fifties and a century. He also comes into the series with superb form in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, scoring 148 (52), 50 (19), 34 (9), and 62 (34) in his last four games. 

For South Africa to stop India from getting a strong start, they need Abhishek’s wicket early, and Lungi Ngidi will be their best chance. His slower balls and variations can trouble the Indian opener. In IPL 2025, Ngidi dismissed Abhishek once.

4. Hardik Pandya vs Corbin Bosch

Hardik Pandya is set to return after a quadriceps injury that ruled him out during the Asia Cup. All eyes will be on his fitness, especially his finishing skills with the bat. He recently returned in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy for Baroda, scoring an unbeaten 77 off 42 in a 223-run chase and taking one wicket. 

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His battle against Corbin Bosch will be interesting in the middle and death overs. Bosch adjusts his pace, line, and length well according to match situations. He could test Pandya. Interestingly, Bosch played IPL 2025 for the Mumbai Indians under Hardik’s captaincy.

5. Suryakumar Yadav vs Marco Jansen

India’s T20I skipper, Suryakumar Yadav, has struggled in 2025. In 15 innings, he has only 184 runs at a strike rate of 127.77 and an average of 15.33. Even in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, he got starts but failed to convert them. Surya will look to get back in form, but Marco Jansen will test him with his left-arm angle and bounce. Jansen is yet to dismiss Surya in T20Is.

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