Gill and Hardik return for India after South Africa opt to bowl

India were back to losing the toss under a new captain after an aberration in the series decider in the ODIs. As expected, the Aiden Markram-led South Africa chose to chase with dew expected to play a role on the night. Suryakumar Yadav wasn’t too fussed, expecting having to bowl with the wet ball as a fact of life.

India welcomed back Shubman Gill and Hardik Pandya to the XI after injury-forced breaks. Also back in the XI was Japsrit Bumrah, who was rested for the ODIs. The T20I specialists – Suryakumar, Abhishek Sharma, Varun Chakravarthy, Jitesh Sharma – all came back in. India decided they needed two quicks in the XI, which meant Kuldeep Yadav was left out. They went for Arshdeep Singh ahead of Harshit Rana as that second fast bowler, which meant India had batting depth till No. 8 and not No. 9. Axar Patel, left out for the ODIs, was listed at that No. 8. Varun, Arshdeep and Bumrah were nine, ten and jack.

South Africa welcomed back Anrich Nortje, David Miller and Donovan Ferreira into the XI. Lutho Sipamla and Lungi Ngidi were the other two fast bowlers to go with Nortje and Marco Jansen, and Keshav Maharaj the lone frontline spinner.

India: 1 Abhishek Sharma, 2 Shubman Gill, 3 Suryakumar Yadav (capt), 4 Tilak Varma, 5 Hardik Pandya, 6 Shivam Dube, 7 Jitesh Sharma (wk), 8 Axar Patel, 9 Varun Chakravarthy, 10 Arshdeep Singh, 11 Jasprit Bumrah

South Africa: 1 Quinton de Kock (wk), 2 Aiden Markram (capt), 3 Tristan Stubbs, 4 Dewald Brevis, 5 David Miller, 6 Donovan Ferreira, 7 Marco Jansen, 8 Keshav Maharaj, 9 Lutho Sipamla, 10 Anrich Nortje, 11 Lungi Ngidi