🏏India tour of South Africa:1st T20I at Kingsmead Durban Nov 8🏏

It isn’t often that a men’s T20I series is a dress rehearsal for a mere franchise tournament’s player auction, but there is nothing mere about the IPL. With the auction for next year’s tournament looming on November 24 and 25, several of those involved in the rubber between South Africa and India will feel the heat of the IPL spotlight.

A good performance in the four games — the first of them at Kingsmead on Friday, the last at the Wanderers next Friday — could make some of them rich. Conversely, should they not live up to expectation they might end up without a deal and thus have significantly less money in the bank.

Of South Africa’s squad of 16, including Lutho Sipamla, who isn’t in the mix for the first two matches, only Heinrich Klaasen has been retained; by Sunrisers Hyderabad. Just two of the remaining 14 — Mihlali Mpongwana and Andile Simelane — are not up for auction.

Eleven of India’s 15 have been retained. The exceptions are Jitesh Sharma, Arshdeep Singh, Vijaykumar Vyshak and Avesh Khan, who have all made themselves available to be bought.

The full list numbers 1,574 players. There are 1,165 Indians and 409 foreigners from 16 countries. Ninety-one of them are South Africans, more than from any other country besides India.

Not that the 16 players from both teams who will be on IPL audition during the series will have the franchise owners’ attention to themselves. During the same eight days that South Africa and India are playing each other, Sri Lanka, New Zealand, West Indies, England, Australia and the Netherlands. So are Pakistan, Oman, Indonesia and Myanmar, but none of their players are in the auction.

The fact that the series pits this year’s T20 World Cup finalists against each other is deep in the shadows of the overarching IPL story. So any notion that the South Africans will be out to make amends for the seven-run loss they suffered in that match is hopelessly naive.

It’s also difficult to sketch a relevant narrative about the rubber considering the next World Cup in the format isn’t until February and March 2026. Unless that narrative is, as it is with the IPL, about money — CSA will earn about USD8.6-million in broadcast revenue from the four games.

An ancient proverb about cricket is that it is a team game for individuals. That remains true, but there is a twist in this instance. From this Friday to the next in South Africa, it will be nothing more no less than a game for 16 individuals trying to excel not for a team but for the signature of the owners of one of 10 franchises on a paycheque.

But there is indeed another reason the series matters. We’ve all heard that cricket is undergoing a revolution. This is a significant skirmish in that ongoing struggle towards a more realistic future.

When: November 8 and 10, 2024;

Where: Kingsmead, Durban and St George’s Park, Gqeberha

What to expect: These are South Africa’s slowest pitches, but that doesn’t mean they will be subcontinental. Although Durban has an unhappy habit of raining on cricket matches, the forecast says that shouldn’t happen on Friday. There’s a slight chance of showers in Gqeberha on Sunday.

Team news:

South Africa:

For the first time since the T20 World Cup in June, South Africa will be able to field seven of the XI who took them to the final of that tournament. But not Quinton de Kock, who’s gone fishing, and Kagiso Rabada, who’s been rested. Anrich Nortjé and Tabraiz Shamsi are available, but were not selected.

Possible XI: Reeza Hendricks, Ryan Rickelton, Aiden Markram (capt), Tristan Stubbs, Heinrich Klaasen, David Miller, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Gerald Coetzee, Nqaba Peter, Ottneil Baartman

India:

Ramandeep Singh and Vijaykumar Vyshak are in an India squad for the first time. Yash Dayal has been in the Test squad, but remains uncapped. Riyan Parag is out with what the BCCI described as a “chronic right shoulder injury”. Shivam Dube and Mayank Yadav are also nursing problems, but theirs haven’t been detailed.

Possible XI: Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson, Suryakumar Yadav (capt), Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Rinku Singh, Axar Patel, Vijaykumar Vyshak, Avesh Khan, Varun Chakaravarthy, Arshdeep Singh

In the spotlight: Aiden Markram and Tilak Varma

Aiden Markram has crossed 25 only once in 14 T20I innings this year. His tally in the format is 201, at an average of 16.75 and a strike rate of 118.23. This is in complete contrast to his career numbers: average 32.17, strike rate 144.62. On the eve of the first T20I against India, he said he was in a good space mentally. Both he and South Africa would want that to be converted into runs.

A couple of freak hand injuries earlier this year had put Tilak Varma's career on hold. While he is back in the mix now, the competition has got intense. He was drafted in for the Bangladesh T20Is as an injury replacement for Shivam Dube but did not get a match. After that, he led India at the Emerging Asia Cup in Oman where his returns were unglamorous: 117 runs in four innings at a strike rate of 120.61. Can he step up against a much tougher opponent?

Pitch and conditions: Runs 'n Rains

South Africa do not have happy memories of Durban. Last year, Australia whitewashed them in a series of three T20Is, all played at this venue. It's a high-scoring venue; the average first-innings total in the last seven T20Is here is 184. However, the weather could spoil things - there is a 40% chance of rain on Friday. The last time India were supposed to play a T20I here, in December 2023, rain did not allow even the toss.

Stats and trivia: Suryakumar's strike rate

India have a strong head-to-head record against South Africa in South Africa: six wins and three losses in nine T20Is.

Among those who have scored at least 1000 T20I runs, Suryakumar has the highest strike rate (169.48).

Arshdeep Singh is India's leading wicket-taker in T20Is this year, with 28 scalps in 14 games.

In nine T20I innings against India, Heinrich Klaasen has three half-centuries and a strike rate of 168.09.

What they said:

“I don’t think it’s the focus. But we all know, with things like an auction and especially for a big tournament like the IPL, a lot of things can fall into place for players. And we’re fortunate that we’re playing a series against them pretty much just before the auction happens.” — Aiden Markram plays open cards about the series’ bigger picture.

“The approach will be the same as what we have been doing in the last few years; the brand of cricket we played during the T20 World Cup, also in the last two or three bilateral series and what we played during the IPL.” — Suryakumar Yadav, secure in his retention by Mumbai Indians, lays a different set of cards on the table.

Quotes

"It has been a testing few months now. Obviously, we have addressed the reasons behind it, growth opportunities, things that are going to make cricketers better in South Africa over a long period of time. But as a captain, it hurts your pride and I have got a lot of pride wearing this badge and want to carry it forward and want to win games and win series for South Africa. But you lock into the bigger picture, you lock into how much it is going to help cricket in South Africa moving forward. Sometimes you have to go through these tough times and hopefully there will be some light at the end of the tunnel."

Aiden Markram on South Africa's poor bilateral record this year

"It has always been challenging playing against South Africa, be it in the T20 World Cup or any bilateral. The last time when we were here, we had a good series. Hopefully, we will have a game [tomorrow]; last time we missed out on the game here. But yeah, it's always fun and challenging and both sides enjoy having that great competition."

Suryakumar Yadav on playing South Africa for the first time since the T20 World Cup final

Big picture: Rematch of T20 World Cup final

In one way, Friday's T20I between South Africa and India is a grudge match. The last time these two sides met was in Barbados, in the 2024 T20 World Cup final. India had no business winning that match when South Africa needed 30 off 30 balls with six wickets in hand. But Jasprit Bumrah, Hardik Pandya and Co snatched the win, and the trophy, from South Africa's grasp, leaving them heartbroken.

In another way, it is not. Many protagonists of that final will not be in action in this series. From India's XI for the final, only four - Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya Axar Patel and Arshdeep Singh - are part of the current squad. South Africa, too, are without Quinton de Kock, Kagiso Rabada, Anrich Nortje and Tabraiz Shamsi.

Therefore, this four-match series might look inconsequential. But don't forget, the next T20 World Cup is only 15 months away, and the teams have already started preparing for it.

India recently faced a shock whitewash at home at the hands of New Zealand, but that was in Test cricket. Their T20I side, which has never been more different from their Test team, is coming on the back of a thumping 3-0 series win against Bangladesh. Continuing their attacking template from the World Cup, they posted a gigantic 297 for 6 in their most recent T20I.

South Africa are yet to recover from their defeat in the final. Since then, they have lost 3-0 to West Indies and drew 1-1 against Ireland in the format. Playing at home now, can they bounce back?

Form guide

South Africa LWLLL (last five T20Is, most recent first)

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