The much-awaited showdown of Group 2 is on the way, and it very much is a make-or-break encounter. A confident Proteas side is set to take on an Indian team that’s been widely touted as favourites in this tournament.

If we were to look back at some of the previous encounters in this format between these two sides in 2022, the momentum has been swaying back and forth, with India bagging the most recent series. But in spite of that, multiple players in the South African side have stepped up and made their opportunities count.

It’s no secret that India is the team to beat. They may not have the services of pace ace and yorker specialist Jasprit Bumrah, but the batting remains stronger than ever. We only have to look as far as Suryakumar Yadav’s returns – an excellent average of about 40 at a staggering strike rate of close to 180 – to get a gauge of how formidable their batting unit is. In addition, Virat Kohli has turned up yet again in a high-stakes game and shepherded a tricky chase with one of his greatest knocks.

On the other hand, SA have the edge with regards to the bowlers. Anrich Nortje was impressive against Bangladesh, and it’s helpful that the frontline pacers are all fit and firing. Top it off with Keshav Maharaj and Tabraiz Shamsi’s economical consistency and you get a bowling lineup that can potentially threaten stronger oppositions.

Under the spotlight

For India, KL Rahul has been a source of concern as of late. He flopped twice in two games and had a pretty unconvincing Asia Cup prior to this event. Strong opening partnerships are integral to building tall scores, and his form will have to improve considerably.

Rilee Rossouw needs no introduction. He’s only the second batter to score two centuries in two consecutive T20Is, and one of them has been against this very opponent. It’s really been a fairytale comeback for the powerful left-hander, but can he sustain this consistency throughout the World Cup, especially in crunch games?

Potential XI’s

Perth Stadium has generally been more pace-friendly but it’ll be a surprise if either team will want to alter a winning combination.

India have all their bases covered with their XI, especially when it comes to balance and depth. There shouldn’t be any changes, barring any last-minute injury.

There is the option of opening with Rishabh Pant, and that would make a hard-hitting left-hand/right-hand duo. But there’s a greater likelihood that KL Rahul will continue to be backed.

Rohit (c), Rahul, Kohli, Suryakumar, Pandya, Axar, Karthik (wk), Ashwin, Bhuvneshwar, Shami, Arshdeep

The Proteas have a bit of a puzzle to solve. It would be nice to accommodate another seamer, and Lungi Ngidi has shown his worth in T20I cricket this year, but that would mean that one of the spinners will have to get switched out.

It’s a change that could be worth a try but at the same time, it’s a bit of a gamble.

The batting depth is another key talking point, since Wayne Parnell is a bowling allrounder and No 7 might be one position too high.

Bavuma (c), de Kock (wk), Rossouw, Markram, Stubbs, Miller, Parnell, Rabada, Maharaj, Nortje, Shamsi/Ngidi

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