India Playing XI vs SA: India vs South Africa Live: With India’s bigwigs of batting are unavailable, the 5-match T20 series will be a testing ground for head coach Rahul Dravid. While KL Rahul and Rishabh Pant are available, former head coach Ravi Shastri has given his insights on the Playing XI for the 1st T20. The big surprise is that he has omitted Dinesh Karthik and Kuldeep Yadav. Follow IND vs SA Live Updates on InsideSport.IN.
Ravi Shastri was one of the staunch supporters of Dinesh Karthik making a comeback to India team. However, as both Rahul Dravid and the team management’s focus is on grooming young talent, it could be tricky to slot in Dinesh Karthik.
“There is already Rishabh Pant who can bat in the top four or five in T20 cricket, but you want someone who can keep and finish a game because there aren’t too many finishers now with MS (Dhoni) having quit. So, I think that’s where his chances are very very good,” Shastri said.
Shastri has also omitted Kuldeep Yadav because of combination hurdles. With five pure batters, India need batting depth in the lower order and that is where Axar Patel comes in. Patel did well for Delhi Capitals in the IPL 2022.
India Playing XI vs SA 1st T20: Ravi Shashtri’s XI
1. KL Rahul
2. Ruturaj Gaikwad
3. Ishan Kishan
4. Shreyas Iyer
5. Rishabh Pant
6. Hardik Pandya
7. Axar Patel
8. Bhuvneshwar Kumar
9. Yuzvendra Chahal
10. Arshdeep Singh/Umran Malik
11. Harshal Patel
Source: https://www.insidesport.in/india-playing-xi-vs-sa-ravi-shastri-picks-his-playing-xi-for-1st-t20-no-place-for-dinesh-karthik-kuldeep-yadav-check-out/
