India vs South Africa: Proteas arrive in Dharamsala for first T20I

This series will also mark the return of South Africa to international cricket for the first time after its dismal 2019 World Cup campaign.

Published : Sep 09, 2019 20:49 IST

South African cricket team arrives at Kangra airport, in Dharamsala for the first T20I on Sunday.

South African cricket team has arrived in Dharamsala, Himachal Pradesh ahead of its three-match T20I series against India.

Wicket-keeper batsman Quinton de Kock will lead the Proteas in the bilateral series, which begins on September 15. The remaining T20Is will take place on September 18 and 22, respectively.

This series will also mark the return of South Africa to international cricket for the first time after its dismal 2019 World Cup campaign.

Currently placed third in the men's T20I team rankings, South Africa has arrived in India with a lot of new faces. Only a handful of players like Andile Phehlukwayo, Quinton de Kock, Kagiso Rabada, David Miller and Tabraiz Shamsi have been retained from the World Cup squad that travelled to England.

The visitors last played a bilateral T20I series against Sri Lanka at home in March. The team won the three-match series 2-0, which also included a tie.

India, which is fourth in the T20I rankings, will field a team with relatively more experienced names. The Kohli-led home side will be without the services of M.S. Dhoni, with Rishabh Pant being picked as the main wicket-keeper.

The T20I series will be followed by a three-match Test series, which will be part of the ICC World Test Championships.

 

Squads for three T20Is

India: Virat Kohli (Captain), Rohit Sharma (vice-captain), Shikhar Dhawan, KL Rahul, Shreyas Iyer, Manish Pandey, Rishabh Pant (wicket-keeper), Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Krunal Pandya, Washington Sundar, Rahul Chahar, Khaleel Ahmed, Deepak Chahar, and Navdeep Saini.

South Africa: Quinton de Kock (c), Rassie van der Dussen, Temba Bavuma, Junior Dala, Bjorn Fortuin, Beuran Hendricks, Reeza Hendricks, David Miller, Anrich Nortje, Andile Phehlukwayo, Dwaine Pretorius, Kagiso Rabada, Tabraiz Shamsi, and George Linde.