3 Players To Watch Out For In India vs South Africa 3rd T20I

Debashis Sarangi

Sanju Samson is in sublime form [Source: @surya_14kumar/X]Sanju Samson is in sublime form [Source: @surya_14kumar/X]

After suffering a narrow three-wicket defeat in the second T20I, India are preparing to take on South Africa in the third match of the ongoing five-match series. Under Suryakumar Yadav's leadership, India had a dream start to the series, securing a comfortable 61-run win in the opening encounter in Durban. 

However, despite Varun Chakravarthy's sensational five-wicket haul, the Indian team fell flat against the spirited Proteas side, with Tristan Stubbs' fighting knock helping the hosts restore parity in the series. 

So, as the visitors gear up for the all-important face-off in Centurion, let's see which players might play a crucial role in this game. 

3. Varun Chakravarthy

The wily finger spinner has been outstanding with the ball since making his comebacks to the Indian T20I side. The South African batters have found Chakravarthy too hot to handle, as he has bagged eight wickets, including a fifer, in two matches. So, considering his ability to bamboozle the batters with his variations, Chakravarthy will once again be India's go-to man, particularly in the middle overs. 

2. Gerald Coetzee

The promising fast bowler had a memorable outing in the second T20I, scripting a much-needed win for the hosts with his incredible all-round attributes. Apart from scoring a valuable 19-run cameo, Gerald Coetzee got the prized scalp of Abhishek Sharma, registering impressive figures of one for 25 in his four overs. 

In fact, he is South Africa's most successful bowler in the series, having scalped four wickets at an average of 15.50. So, given that the conditions in Centurion will likely assist fast bowling, Coetzee could play a pivotal role, particularly with the new ball. 

1. Sanju Samson

Sanju Samson has managed to take his T20I career to new heights since he has been promoted to the top order following Rohit Sharma's retirement from the shortest format. The explosive keeper-batter recently slammed two consecutive T20I centuries, etching his name in history books. 

Although Samson got out for a duck in the last match, he has the ability to bounce back in this game. Furthermore, he has worked really hard on his temperament and converts his starts into significant scores these days. So, keeping his recent performances in mind, we expect Samson to emerge as India's wrecker-in-chief with the bat in Centurion.