Aiden Markram, Suryakumar Yadav pose with trophy ahead of T20I series

The four-match T20I series between South Africa and India is scheduled to commence on Friday, November 8. Ahead of the series opener in Durban, the skippers of both the teams posed with the trophy while donning their respective kits.

Aiden Markram and Suryakumar Yadav were all smiles as they posed. There were two mascots kneeling down in front of the two skippers, wearing the traditional vibrant attire, characteristic of the two nations.

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The forthcoming series between the finalists of the T20 World Cup 2024 will be the 10th bilateral series played between the two sides in T20Is. The head-to-head record goes India's way. However, they are the ones who look the slightly weaker team on paper. There are three uncapped players travelling along with the Indian contingent - Ramandeep Singh, Vijaykumar Vyshak, and Yash Dayal. 

On the other hand, South Africa have gone with a fairly more experienced squad consisting of quite some regulars. The deadly core of Heinrich Klaasen, Tristan Stubbs, and David Miller will be something India would be well aware of. 

As far as India's recent T20I form is concerned, they have been on song. They have won 10 out of the 11 T20Is played since the showpiece event in the Americas. In contrast, South Africa's T20I form hasn't been the greatest since missing out on the ICC trophy. First, they were clean-swept by the West Indies in the three-match series played in the Caribbean. Next, their tour to the United Arab Emirates ended in a 1-1 draw against Ireland.

The first of the four T20Is will be played at Kingsmead in Durban, and both the sides will be keen on getting off the mark in convincing fashion.