The first T20 match of the India-South Africa series is just a few hours away and the anticipation has already reached fever high. With an array of stars in both the camps, the quality of cricket is expected to be top notch, which should send cricket fans at Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium in Dharamsala go into a frenzy.
India and South Africa have some right mix of bowlers and batsmen, which makes the T20 series even more interesting. In the batting department, South Africa possess the likes of AB de Villiers and Faf Du Plessis, while India have MS Dhoni, Virat KOhli amongst other batsmen. In the bowling department, the men in blue possess Ravichnadran Ashwin, while the Proteas have one of the best spinners – in current form – Imran Tahir.
One cannot wait for the game to start.
Here is a look at top two players, who could make huge difference, from both the sides.
India
MS Dhoni
The Indian skipper may no longer be the Dhoni of old, where he would go hammer and tongs, but has become a dependable batsmen of late, which makes him an even more dangerous batsmen. Dhoni has the special ability to change gears all of a sudden and thrash bowlers all around the park. Being one of the seniormost players for India, he is expected to play an play an important role in the middle order. Dhoni could act as a catalyst with big strokemakers such as Suresh Raina, Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma amongst others.
Mohit Sharma
One may be surprised to find Mohit Sharma's name in this strong-looking list as one of the players to watch out for. Though India possess some fine batsmen, their bowlers need to get their act right as well. The spinners are expected to perform at their best, but it also depends on how their seamers handle the situation especially with AB de Villiers expected to open the innings for South Africa. If the South African batsman is not dismissed early, the Indian team could be second favourites in a matter of overs. Mohit, with his variations, could play a major role in the T20 series.
South Africa
AB de Villiers
The South African batsman is one of the best players in world cricket at present. De Villiers possesses a special skill of attacking the bowlers right from the start and what makes him even more special is the array of shots at his disposal. De Villiers has all the shots in the book to bamboozle the Indian bowlers. It is going to be a huge challenge for captain Dhoni to set a field for a player of his ability.
JP Duminy
The South African with his all round skills is going to be the biggest player for South Africa. Duminy, who is primarily a batsman, will be asked to roll his arm over on a consistent basis as Indian pitches are suited to spinners. Apart from his bowling skills, he is a dangerous batsman, who can score quick runs off both the spinners as well as the seamers. South Africa can use him as an ideal finisher in Indian conditions where he can clear his left leg and smash the ball long as he has been doing so with good effect in the Indian Premier League.
