Suryakumar Yadav-led Indian cricket team is going one-on-one against Aiden Markram’s South Africa in the fourth and final T20I of the four-match series which is being played at the Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg, on November 15 (Friday). The Men in Blue are coming into this match with a 2-1 lead and winning this one will ensure a series win for them but on the other hand, Proteas need to win this match at all cost to avoid a series loss at home. India won the toss and elected to bat first.
Captains at toss
“We are going to bat first. We have been doing that well in the last 2-3 games and we want to stick to that. The plan has been clear from the first game. Putting runs on the board and defending is something we have been wanting to do. It is a quick turnaround, one day gap between the games but the boys are professionals. Same team,” said Suryakumar Yadav after winning the toss.
“We weren’t sure (whether to bat or bowl). Probably leaning towards batting. We haven’t put hundred percent in all three departments. We are edging towards it. We can’t win the series but we pulled one back after being 1-0 down, so we can take confidence from that and try to level the series. We are going with the same team,” said Aiden Markram.
Playing XIs
India: Sanju Samson(w), Abhishek Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav(c), Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Rinku Singh, Ramandeep Singh, Axar Patel, Arshdeep Singh, Ravi Bishnoi, Varun Chakaravarthy
South Africa: Ryan Rickelton, Reeza Hendricks, Aiden Markram(c), Tristan Stubbs, Heinrich Klaasen(w), David Miller, Marco Jansen, Andile Simelane, Gerald Coetzee, Keshav Maharaj, Lutho Sipamla
Pitch Report
“It has been a slightly cooler day in Johannesburg. We are in the centre of the square. We have a decent hit straight, 86 meters, the square boundaries – 62 and 66 meters. It looks really good. Usually the pitches here have no grass and cracks but we are devoid of that today. There’s a decent covering of grass. No cracks. It is going to carry through nicely and the ball will come on. It is a kind of pitch where you go after the bowlers then you can put some jitters,” Natalie Germanos and Shaun Pollock analysed the pitch.
