South Africa vs India Prediction: Hosts are going as underdogs

South Africa and India are going head to head in the 2nd Match of the T20 Series at Saint George's Park, Gqeberha, South Africa on 12 Dec 2023. The first game was washed out meaning the teams have to rethink their strategy for two game series. Who will win this game of cricket?

We were unable to see the playing eleven for both teams due to the cancellation of the toss. As a result, our knowledge about the two teams remains the same as before the series began. In the upcoming series, South Africa is expected to open with Reeza Hendricks and Matthew Breetzke. While Hendricks starts off slowly, Breetzke will try to fulfill the role previously performed by Quinton de Kock for the South Africans. The team has a strong batting lineup with Aiden Markram, Heinrich Klaasen, and David Miller available for selection. This core group of players was instrumental in South Africa's success in the 50-over World Cup, making them a formidable force in this series as well. All three batsmen are versatile, perform well against both spin and pace, and possess power-hitting capabilities. South Africa has the option to include Stubbs, Jansen, and Coetzee as their 6th, 7th, and 8th players, which would provide them with depth and additional frontline bowling options. The remaining three spots in the team will be determined based on the prevailing conditions. We believe Keshav Maharaj will be chosen over Tabraiz Shamsi, and Nandre Burger will be given an opportunity due to his fast bowling skills. The last spot will likely be given to Donovan Ferreira, an all-round player who can adapt to various positions in the order. It is surprising that the bookmakers consider South Africa as the underdogs in this match, considering the strength of their T20 side.

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 has been experimenting with fielding a relatively young and inexperienced team for its T20 internationals. It remains to be seen if they will continue to do so for the T20 World Cup, but at present, there is intense competition for limited spots in the team. Shubman Gill is making his return to the squad for this match and is expected to open the batting. Whether Yashasvi Jaiswal or Ruturaj Gaikwad will partner him is yet to be decided. Following the opening duo, the batting lineup will include Shreyas Iyer, Suryakumar Yadav, Rinku Singh, and possibly Jitesh Sharma. It will be a difficult situation for players like Ishan Kishan and Tilak Varma, who are likely to be excluded. At number seven, Ravindra Jadeja will provide the last significant batting option, followed by four bowlers who are not known for their batting abilities. India possesses talented players in the top order, such as Gill or SKY, who have the potential to swiftly turn the game in their favor. However, the lack of depth in the batting lineup may cause the team to become defensive if they lose a few early wickets, which is a major disadvantage. Similarly, in terms of bowling, India may struggle to match the quality of their South African counterparts. Although the return of Mohammad Siraj will bolster the team, Deepak Chahar, Mukesh Kumar, or Arshdeep Singh are not currently performing at their best. India also has the option of including Kuldeep Yadav in the lineup, a bold move considering the conditions in South Africa.

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

The team that wins the coin toss is likely to prefer choosing to bat first. Out of the three T20 international matches played at this venue, two have been won by the team that batted first.

The pitch at St. George's Park typically provides advantageous conditions for the bowlers. It offers a good amount of pace and bounce, allowing the bowlers to pose challenging questions to the batsmen. So far, the highest score achieved at this venue is 179, although the number of matches played is limited. Considering the strong batting lineups on both sides, it is anticipated that a score of around 180 could be achieved once again in this match. 

As for the weather forecast, it indicates improved conditions for this match. Although there may be some rain, it is expected that it will not significantly affect the game. 

In our opinion, this is an excellent opportunity to support South Africa as the potential winner of this match. Despite currently being portrayed as the underdogs by betting apps, we believe this situation will change soon. South Africa is playing on their home turf, possesses a stronger batting lineup, and boasts a more formidable bowling attack. Place your bet on South Africa to win.