As the Men in Blue gear up to face the Proteas in the five-match T20I series starting tomorrow, December 9, at the Barabati Stadium, anticipation is at an all-time high. Fresh off a spirited 2-1 victory in the ODI leg, India transitions to the shortest format with a squad brimming with explosive talent and tactical mystery.
With the T20 World Cup 2026 on the horizon, this series serves as a critical litmus test for Suryakumar Yadav‘s leadership and India’s aggressive template. While the visitors possess a formidable lineup, some Indian stars, in particular, look poised to dismantle the South African challenge.
3 Indian players who can trouble Proteas in the T20I leg
1) Abhishek Sharma
If there is one name that has redefined T20 batting in 2025, it is Abhishek Sharma. The Punjab southpaw recently etched his name in history books during the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, becoming the first Indian batter ever to smash over 100 sixes in T20s in a single calendar year. His numbers this year are nothing short of video-game figures: in 36 innings, he has amassed nearly 1,500 runs at a staggering strike rate of 204.22, including three centuries and nine fifties.
Abhishek enters this series in red-hot form, fresh off a blistering campaign in the domestic circuit where he struck at nearly 250 and registered a career-best 148. South Africa’s pace attack, usually their biggest strength, faces a severe test against Abhishek’s high-risk template. Having already hit 47 sixes in just 17 T20Is this year, his ability to clear the ropes from ball one makes him the primary threat the Proteas must neutralize early to avoid a Powerplay demolition.
2) Varun Chakaravarthy
Varun Chakaravarthy‘s resurgence has been the tactical headline of India’s bowling attack this year. The mystery spinner is currently enjoying the form of his life, having been named Player of the Series against England earlier in 2025 where he claimed 14 wickets, including a mesmerising 5/24. His consistency was further cemented in IPL 2025, where he picked up 17 wickets in 13 matches with an economy rate of just 7.66—gold dust in modern T20 cricket.
Crucially for this series, Chakaravarthy has a psychological edge over the hosts. In his last T20I outing against the Proteas in November 2024, he spun a web around their middle order to claim a career-best 5/17. With the Cuttack pitch expected to offer some grip, his unique ability to turn the ball both ways without a discernible change in action makes him India’s trump card to choke the run flow in the middle overs.
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3) Suryakumar Yadav
While Suryakumar remains the most feared name on the team sheet, the Indian skipper enters this series with a massive point to prove. The year 2025 has been a tale of two distinct halves for SKY: a sensational IPL campaign where he amassed a staggering 717 runs—including a record-breaking streak of consecutive 25+ scores—versus a perplexing dip in international colors.
The recent stats paint a concerning picture for ‘Mr. 360.’ By late October, Surya had managed only 100 runs in 11 T20Is, languishing with an uncharacteristic average of around 11.11. His struggles to convert starts were evident during the Asia Cup, where he totaled just 65 runs with a high score of 47*, and continued into the series against Australia with modest returns of 39*, 1, 24, and 20.
However, South Africa should not underestimate him based on this slump. With the T20 World Cup approaching, the pressure is on, and SKY is desperate to bridge the gap between his IPL dominance and his international output. A wounded tiger is often the most dangerous, and this series presents the perfect stage for the captain to silence his critics and return to his destructive best.
