New Delhi: Rishabh Pant’s debut as India captain did not start on a positive note as South Africa skipper Temba Bavuma won the toss. The visitors then elected to field against India in the first T20 international of the five-match series here Thursday.
India have fielded three pacers in Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Avesh Khan and Harshal Patel, while Axar Patel and Yuzvendra Chahal are the two spinners in the playing XI. Veteran Dinesh Karthik has also been included in the XI. This will be the first game for Karthik since the 50 overs World Cup semifinal against New Zealand in 2019, which India lost.
Meanwhile in a separate development, South Africa batter Aiden Makram was ruled out of the game after he tested positive for Covid-19. Makram, who was a part of the recently-concluded Indian Premier League, was unavailable for selection for the series opener of the five-match series, revealed captain Temba Bavuma at the toss. Aiden had cleared the first round of testing along with the rest of the South African squad last week after arriving here June 2.
“Aiden was not available for selection as he tested positive for Covid-19. Tristan Stubbs comes in and it is a debut for him,” Bavuma said at the toss here.
If India win the game, they will achieve the world record of winning 13 games on the trot in T20 Internationals. No other side have been able to achieve that.
Teams:
India: Rishabh Pant (captain), Ishan Kishan, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Shreyas Iyer, Hardik Pandya, Dinesh Karthik, Axar Patel, Harshal Patel, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Yuzvendra Chahal and Avesh Khan.
South Africa: Temba Bavuma (captain), Quinton de Kock, Reeza Hendricks, David Miller, Tristan Stubbs, Wayne Parnell, Dwaine Pretorius, Keshav Maharaj, Tabraiz Shamsi, Kagiso Rabada and Anrich Nortje.