But it remains to be seen whether Dhoni sticks to his preferred combination or experiments with the playing XI.
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Cuttack: At least 63 platoons of police, 300 officers, four quick response teams (QRTs) and two anti- terrorist squads (ATSs) will be deployed in Cuttack city for the India-South Africa T-20 match to be played at Barabati stadium here.
The problems with dew factor and high altitude notwithstanding, India bowlers should have bowled better with 200 runs to defend in Dharamshala. I was quite happy apart from that one over. And we’re a team that can chase well, so we’re hoping to do more of the same from previous game. There will be a lot more ones and twos, even a few threes. Young Axar Patel got the nod in the first T20 in Dharamsala but could not produce the goods. There was a period when I lost 29 out of 32 tosses.
“We just tried to stay in the moment, and keep that rate needed as close as possible to the 12/13 runs an over mark”.
Keeping in mind next year’s World Twenty20 in India, South Africa are experimenting with AB de Villiers’ batting position by giving him the role of an opener in the current series, Farhaan Behardien said today.
You are always trying to guess as to what the pitch will do. Their bowlers did not find the going easier either, and may want to consider both tactical and team changes. South Africa won the match against India by three wickets with JP Duminy scoring an unbeaten 68, supported by A B de Villiers’ 51 to outshine Sharma’s blistering knock of 106. The Board for Control of Cricket in India has tried to address the anomaly by organising a plethora of matches between the ongoing three-match series and the 2016 World T20 at home in March and April.
“We have to play to the South African weakness”, he said.
India Mahendra Singh Dhoni (c/wk), Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan, Virat Kohli, Suresh Raina, Amabati Rayudu, Axar Patel, Ravichandran Ashwin, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mohit Sharma, Sreenath Aravind, Ajinkya Rahane, Stuart Binny, Harbhajan Singh and Amit Mishra.
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South Africa: Faf du Plessis (capt), Hashim Amla, Farhaan Behardien, AB de Villiers (wk), JP Duminy, David Miller, Chris Morris Kagiso Rabada, Imran Tahir, Kyle Abbott, Marchant de Lange, Eddie Leie, Albie Morkel, Quinton de Kock, Khaya Zondo.
