IND vs SA, 2nd T20I: Predicted India Playing XI vs South Africa

After registering a well-deserved eight-wicket win over South Africa in the first game in Thiruvananthapuram, the action now moves to the second T20I at the Baraspara Cricket Stadium in Guwahati on October 2, where India would be eyeing to seal the three-match series. A win here for the Men in Blue will help them in continuing their dominance in the bilateral T20Is where they have remained unbeaten to-date ever since the home series against New Zealand in November 2021. Meanwhile, a wounded Proteas unit would be looking to overcome all odds with the series on the line. India have found a reliable middle-order batter in Suryakumar Yadav, but the seasoned top-order duo of skipper Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli need to find form with only two more international matches left before the T20 World Cup. Without further ado, here's a look at India's Predicted XI for the second T20I: Openers: Rohit Sharma (c) and KL Rahul Rohit Sharma can be unstoppable once he gets going in the shortest format and he is just six runs away from registering 3700 T20I runs. However, he was unfortunate in the last game where Quinton de Kock's incredible one-handed stunner sent him back for a duck. KL Rahul is trying to get back into the groove and has found form ahead of the T20 World Cup. He overcame difficult spells from the South African bowlers on a tough wicket and went on to score a match-winning unbeaten 51 runs off 56. Middle-Order: Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant, and Dinesh Karthik Virat Kohli had come into the last match after a match-winning half-century against Australia in Hyderabad last weekend. Nonetheless, he had a forgetabble day as Anrich Nortje ended up dismissing him for just three off nine deliveries. All eyes will be on Kohli to showcase consistent performances with a keen eye on the 72nd international century. Suryakumar Yadav has been in brilliant form in the last two matches. The right-hander has also rose back to the second position in the ICC T20I batters' rankings. After scoring a quickfire 36-ball 69 last week against the Aussies, Yadav carried on his form in this series and added an unbeaten 89-run second-wicket stand along with Rahul to finish off the game. Rishabah Pant has not been able to replicate his Test and ODI batting brilliance in T20Is and with hardly anytime left for the showpiece event in Australia, he must assure the selectors that he is still the first-choice stumper for India in this format. Dinesh Karthik and Hardik Pandya have been India's lifelines in the middle-order and the duo has rescued the side on many occasions. With Hardik rested, the onus would be on Karthik to take care of the middle-order in this series. While he did not get a chance to bat in the first game, the veteran cricketer would be hoping to make the most of his chances in the remaining two matches. All-Rounders: Axar Patel and Ravichandran Ashwin Axar Patel has not been able to contribute much with the bat in the limited opportunities that he has got so far, but has been consistent with the ball, providing vital breakthrough for India in the previous series against Australia. The onus would be on the southpaw to make it matter once again. Ravichandran Ashwin has been selected in the T20 World Cup squad and therefore, he was selected in the playing XI in the first T20I to get match practice ahead of the marquee tournament down under. Apart from contributing to the wickets tally with his off-spin, the Tamil Nadu cricketer would also be hoping to showcase his batting skills lower down the order. Bowlers: Harshal Patel, Deepak Chahar and Arshdeep Singh India's pace battery was really impressive in the last game. Harshal Patel, who has looked rusty in the death overs for a while, seemed to have rediscovered his rhythm as he finished with figures of 2/26 from his four overs at an economy of 6.5. Comebackman Deepak Chahar also made the ball talk instantly as he piled misery on the South African top-order, removing skipper Temba Bavuma and Tristan Stubbs to finish with figures of 2/24 from his four overs at an economy rate of exactly six. Arshdeep Singh was the pick of the bowlers for India as he went berserk with the new ball. He was the Proteas' wrecker-in-chief and accounted for the likes of Quinton de Kock, Rilee Rossouw and David Miller to finish with figures of 3/32. India's Predicted XI: Rohit Sharma (c), KL Rahul, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant (wk), Dinesh Karthik, Axar Patel, Ravichandran Ashwin, Harshal Patel, Deepak Chahar, Arshdeep Singh

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IND vs SA, 2nd T20I: Predicted India Playing XI vs South Africa

India are likely to field an unchanged XI for the all-important second T20I against South Africa in Assam.

All-Rounders: Axar Patel and Ravichandran Ashwin

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