South Africa vs India Prediction: Both teams got fresh faces

South Africa and India are going head to head in the 1st Match of T20 Series at Hollywoodbets Kingsmead Stadium Cricket Ground, South Africa on 10 Dec 2023. India will be fielding an untested squad in bouncy South African pitches for this series while South Africa will have some new faces. Who will win this game of cricket?

South Africa will be without Quinton de Kock, Lungi Ngidi, and Kagiso Rabada for this series due to a combination of injuries, unavailability, and rest. Although the batting is expected to remain strong, the absence of these key players weakens the South African bowling attack. The opening pair is likely to consist of Reeza Hendricks and Matthew Breetzke, with a formidable lineup to follow including Aiden Markram, David Miller, Heinrich Klaasen, and Tristan Stubbs. This lineup possesses both power and experience, with Klaasen, Miller, and Markram being particularly dangerous. Scoring enough runs to pose a challenge to the Indian team should not be a major issue for South Africa. They have various options for the 7th, 8th, and 9th positions, with Donovan Ferriera, Marco Jansen, and Gerald Coetzee likely to be chosen. This selection provides batting depth, with Keshav Maharaj and either Beuran Hendricks or Nandre Burger to follow. South Africa has previously embraced an aggressive and batting-focused approach, and it is expected that this series will be no different. Playing in home conditions, it will be challenging for the opposition to halt the strong South African lineup.

Reeza Hendricks, Matthew Breetzke, Aiden Markram (C), Heinrich Klaasen (WK), David Miller, Tristan Stubbs, Marco Jansen, Gerald Coetzee, Keshav Maharaj, Lizaad Williams, Tabraiz Shamsi

India's biggest struggle to meet modern standards lies in T20 cricket, and it appears that a conservative approach will persist in the upcoming T20 World Cup. While several senior players like Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammad Shami, and KL Rahul are either resting or injured, this series provides an opportunity for young and exciting players to make an impact. The squad for this series is similar to the one that played against Australia at home, where India emerged victorious with a 4-0 win. However, it must be noted that this triumph was against a weakened Australian team and on home soil. 

This series will raise important questions, especially regarding the choice of openers between Shubman Gill, Yashasvi Jaiswal, and Ruturaj Gaikwad. In our opinion, Gaikwad should be left out, although it will be a tough decision for him. In the middle order, SKY and Shreyas Iyer seem to be sure selections, leaving room for only two players among Ishan Kishan, Jitesh Sharma, Rinku Singh, and Tilak Varma. Once again, we believe that the conservative mindset will prevail, resulting in Jitesh Sharma and Tilak Varma missing out. 

Ravindra Jadeja will occupy the number 7 batting position, followed by the four bowlers. India may find it challenging to accommodate two spinners, which could lead to Ravi Bishnoi, the top-ranked T20 spinner in the world, being overlooked for Kuldeep Yadav. If Mohammad Siraj is fully fit, he will play alongside Mukesh Kumar. The final spot in the team will be contested by Deepak Chahar and Arshdeep Singh. 

India's batting appears strong with standout performances from Gill and SKY, but the rest of the lineup may encounter difficulties in South African conditions. Furthermore, the bowling attack seems to lack depth with the absence of a sixth bowling option and reliable pace bowlers.

Shubman Gill, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Shreyas Iyer, Suryakumar Yadav (C), Rinku Singh, Jitesh Sharma (WK), Ravindra Jadeja/Washington Sundar, Ravi Bishnoi, Arshdeep Singh, Mohammed Siraj, Mukesh Kumar

The outcome of matches does not appear to be significantly influenced by whether a team bats first or chases. However, we believe that the team winning the toss may prefer to field first.

The conditions in Durban are not particularly favorable. There is a forecast for rain, which could lead to frequent interruptions. Consequently, the outfield may become slower and the bowlers could exploit swing on the surface. If it remains cloudy, the game might have a lower scoring rate than usual, with a predicted average of around 160-170 runs.

Despite India being considered the favorite by most betting apps, we disagree with this assessment. South Africa demonstrated their potential in the 50-over World Cup when they exceeded expectations. We believe they will surprise many in this series. India's T20 team lacks experience, has uncertain positions, and lacks quality in bowling. Our suggestion is to place your bet on South Africa to win.