India VS South Africa: Suryakumar Yadav, KL Rahul propel India to historic T20I series win

The result means India had won the series, which is noteworthy because, before 2022, they had never won a home T20I series against the Proteas. 

Even more impressive in this case was that they won the match while defending a score – even though the bowlers were helped considerably by having to defend a total of 237-3. 

That was India’s fourth-highest score in T20I cricket, and it was thumping proof that all of their batters have bought into the aggressive template the team wants to employ going forward.

This was perhaps best exemplified by the approach taken by KL Rahul. The Bangalore opener, often criticized for making slow starts atop the order, batted with aplomb to get to his half-century. 

His 57 came off 28 balls at a strike rate of over 200. But he wasn’t the only one who batted as if he had nothing to lose. 

Virat Kohli’s only recently struck form after a poor run for the past two years also embodied that approach. His 49 came off just 28 balls, was unlucky to miss out on a half-century, despite ending the innings not out.

But perhaps the best display of consistent hitting came from Suryakumar Yadav. His knock of 61 off 22 balls featured five fours and as many sixes. 

But perhaps most importantly, it showed why he is arguably India’s key batsman going into the T20 World Cup and why India needs to wrap him in cotton wool before they get to Australia. 

He was unfortunately run out at the start of the 19th over, but Dinesh Karthik came in and did what he does best – finish innings. 

He faced seven balls, hit two for six and one for a boundary, and scored 17 runs to ensure India finished with a score that even on a track that was good to bat on, was going to be hard to chase. 

South Africa made the worst possible start, with skipper Temba Bavuma playing a maiden over against Deepak Chahar. The ball was seaming around, but Bavuma’s confidence looked shot. 

Arshdeep Singh eventually dismissed him for a seven-ball duck, an act akin to shooting Old Yeller. Arshdeep got rid of Rilee Rossouw to truly set the cat among the pigeons. 

Quinton de Kock and Aiden Markram counter-attacked, with the latter eventually being dismissed for a 19-ball 33. De Kock would remain not out at 69 off 48 balls, while David Miller did himself no harm with an unbeaten ton (106 off 47 balls).

However, the visitors were always playing catch up, and in the end, the asking rate proved too high. 

The final T20I takes place at Indore on Tuesday (October 4) before the start of the three-match ODI series on Thursday (October 6).