India Aims for Victory in Decisive T20I Against South Africa

India has an opportunity to finish their challenging South Africa tour on a high note with the fifth and final T20I in Ahmedabad on Friday.

The tour began unfavorably for India with two heavy Test losses, but the team bounced back with a 2-1 victory in the ODI series.

Despite the fourth T20I in Lucknow being abandoned due to thick fog, India leads the T20I series 2-1, with action set to return undisturbed at the Narendra Modi Stadium.

For Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav, this match is crucial as he looks to regain form before India’s month-long break, after which they will play five T20Is against New Zealand, a preparatory run for the ICC men’s T20 World Cup.

Shubman Gill, aiming to find his rhythm, is dealing with a foot injury and could miss the match. This might open the door for Kerala’s aggressive batsman Sanju Samson to fill in at the opener’s slot.

Axar Patel is sidelined due to illness, and though Shahbaz Ahmed has been called up, he’s likely to remain on the bench with Varun Chakaravarthy and Kuldeep Yadav as the primary spin bowlers.

Jasprit Bumrah, a local favorite who returned home for personal reasons, may rejoin the lineup. Until then, Arshdeep Singh and Harshit Rana impressed with their performance in the third T20I at Dharamshala.

Recent day matches in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy at this venue favored the batsmen slightly. However, this night match might offer even more run-scoring opportunities due to expected dew.

South Africa is eager to end the tour on a positive note. Their squad boasts strong depth and powerful hitters, even in the latter part of their order.

While India has secured the series, a victory in this match would allow South Africa to equalize at 2-2, marking a significant achievement for the visitors.

Published on Dec 18, 2025