All posts tagged: South Africa vs India

‘If God has written something for you, you will get it’

‘If God has written something for you, you will get it’

3 min readMar 12, 2026 08:00 AM IST The way the World Cup ended for Sanju Samson and the way the showpiece event started were quite contrasting. After a poor run of form in the series against New Zealand before the World Cup, Samson lost his spot in the playing XI to Ishan Kishan, who piled on runs in the same series. Indian skipper Suryakumar Yadav, speaking to The Indian Express, revealed the conversation between him and Samson when the 31-year-old was not part of the team. “Sanju came with a lot going for him — a keeper who can bat at the top. I remember he came to me once and asked: “Just tell me what you want from me in this team.” We said: we want the same Sanju Samson we’ve seen tear attacks apart. And then he told the whole team — we will keep playing what the team wants before what we want. Only then will we achieve something special,” Surya said to this publication. “When he was not playing I …

‘We could have been little smarter’: Suryakumar Yadav reflects on India’s bowling performance after beating Zimbabwe in T20 World Cup Super 8 clash | Cricket News

‘We could have been little smarter’: Suryakumar Yadav reflects on India’s bowling performance after beating Zimbabwe in T20 World Cup Super 8 clash | Cricket News

3 min readFeb 26, 2026 11:14 PM IST Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav admitted that his side could have put in a better bowling performance in the second innings of the T20 World Cup Super 8 clash against Zimbabwe in Chennai on Thursday. The 35-year-old credited the visitors for their batting effort in their pursuit of 257 runs, admitting that his bowlers could have been smarter in the chase. Chasing 257 runs for victory, Zimbabwe finished on 184/6 after 20 overs with Brian Bennett making a splendid, unbeaten 97 off 59 balls, carrying on from his fine batting form in the tournament. “To be very honest, we could have been a little more clinical with the ball. But at the end of the day, a win is a win, and we’ll take it as we move forward. We’ll definitely tighten a few screws when we go and play the West Indies cricket team. I don’t want to take any credit away from the Zimbabwean batters.” “I think they batted beautifully. Yes, the wicket was good, but …

T20 World Cup | Slow death: South Africa’s change-of-pace proves India’s undoing in Ahmedabad in a run-chase that never got going | Cricket News

T20 World Cup | Slow death: South Africa’s change-of-pace proves India’s undoing in Ahmedabad in a run-chase that never got going | Cricket News

3 min readUpdated: Feb 22, 2026 11:45 PM IST On a pitch that had a slight tinge of green, the slower balls proved to be India’s undoing in the chase. The off-pace deliveries, led by Lungi Ngidi who bowled a spell for the ages, that were banged into the surface and ultimately held up proved too challenging to score off and strangled India’s batters. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW VIDEO Abhishek Sharma Right through his brief stay, one could sense that Abhishek was growing restless. Marco Jansen, sensing it, sent down a knuckleball slower delivery that is hard to pick up from the hand, on a full length. The opener, who had already committed to the shot, could only sky it, Thereafter, Corbin Bosch did the rest, covering good distance from mid-wicket and catching it almost near mid-on. Suryakumar Yadav When he arrived, the skipper got off to a quick start, before Proteas tied him up by varying the pace. Just as Surya was looking to get comfortable, Bosch sent a delivery down the leg-stump line, which …

Who did AB de Villiers and Dale Steyn pick to defend 10 runs in last over? And a batter to get 15 runs to win? | Cricket News

Who did AB de Villiers and Dale Steyn pick to defend 10 runs in last over? And a batter to get 15 runs to win? | Cricket News

3 min readUpdated: Feb 22, 2026 02:19 PM IST ‘Which bowler would you pick to defend 10 runs in last over?’ was the question posed by AB de Villiers to Dale Steyn on his YouTube show that dropped over the weekend. Both legends seemed to agree on one name. “Jasprit Bumrah.” Steyn, one of the most feared bowlers, reckoned only two bowlers fit the bill. “If 10 runs to defend in last over, only two names jump to my mind right now. Either Malinga or Bumrah,” AB said in the informal interaction. “My bowler would be Bumrah definitely as well,” AB would say. India and South Africa play the first of their Super8s at Ahmedabad. When Steyn was asked who he would pick to rattle off 15 runs in an over to win a match, he picked AB himself. “Not to float your boat but I’m putting you in there..you’re the best in the world. The other day you played for Paarl. So even now if South Africa needed you and they needed 15 to …

ICC T20 World Cup: Jasprit Bumrah, Varun Chakaravarthy give India edge over South Africa, says Shaun Pollock | Cricket News

ICC T20 World Cup: Jasprit Bumrah, Varun Chakaravarthy give India edge over South Africa, says Shaun Pollock | Cricket News

3 min readFeb 22, 2026 02:04 PM IST It’s a role-reversal that will have many followers of the game raise their eyebrows, but it’s the transformation in Indian cricket which prompts South African legend Shaun Pollock to anoint Suryakumar Yadav’s side as favourites, on the basis of their bowling strength, when the two teams face off in the ICC T20 World Cup Super Eights match in Ahmedabad. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW VIDEO It will be a rematch of the 2024 final when India came back from the dead to seal victory, and Pollock backs the hosts to come out on top again based on the variety in their bowling attack, led by Jasprit Bumrah and Varun Chakaravarthy, two individuals who bring the x-factor to the contest. “I think South Africa and India have personnel who match each other on the day [but] I think the batting line-ups cancel each other out. The point of difference is in two bowlers, Bumrah and Chakravarthy,” Pollock was quoted as saying by The Sowetan newspaper. “South Africa have quality, but …

Humour of the humerus after Dale Steyn’s surgery update; and his old ode to Mumbai’s Cafe Leopold at Colaba

Humour of the humerus after Dale Steyn’s surgery update; and his old ode to Mumbai’s Cafe Leopold at Colaba

3 min readFeb 22, 2026 01:17 PM IST Dale Steyn is far away from the battle of the day: the India vs South Africa blockbuster at Ahmedabad that everyone is excited about. He spent lead-up Saturday on the surgeon’s table getting his shoulder pec fixed. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW VIDEO The South African legend had felt his pectoralis major (that connects the chest wall with the humerus or upper arm bone and shoulder), come right off when playing the Legends League last week, and returned home for surgery. Steyn had posted post surgery: “Quick updateSurgery went well, Doc said no fun things for 4 months… We all know that ain’t gana happen! 😂So it’s a new injury, tore my pec off the tendon and needed it reattached, just reminding myself further why not to play old man cricket leagues.Thanks for the messages of support!Always appreciated 👊🤙👊’ Fans lined up in his responses, led by Herschell Gibbs. “Bowl with the other arm 😂” his former team-mate advised. Other hilarious responses included bowling off-spin, and bowling anyway to …

‘Expectation is to make 220, 240, 250. But wickets are a little different’: Suryakumar Yadav shrugs off top-order doubts as India trust adaptability on tricky pitches | Cricket News

‘Expectation is to make 220, 240, 250. But wickets are a little different’: Suryakumar Yadav shrugs off top-order doubts as India trust adaptability on tricky pitches | Cricket News

On flatter and fresher decks of the subcontinent, Suryakumar Yadav and his batting brigade reeled out double-hundred totals without much ado. But on far more testing surfaces, they have shown the flexibility to moderate their game and adapt to the situations, which, though, is sometimes misconstrued as a struggle. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW VIDEO But Surya debunks the notions of a struggling top-order. “You have expectations, we also have expectations from ourselves. Expectation is to make 220, 240, 250. But wickets are a little different here. The four wickets we have played on so far were a little different and challenging,” he said. On a more batting-friendlier surface, the audience could watch a more free-flowing approach, he hinted: “I never thought that this team would make 250, 270, 220, 230. But the way we’re playing cricket now, you’ll see in the future,” he said. Adaptability test The lethargic nature of the pitches, combined with the run-less campaign of Abhishek Sharma, has meant that Tilak Varma, and at times, Surya, had to shackle their strokes and accumulate, …

Why does Lakshmipathy Balaji think South Africa will open bowling with Aiden Markram vs India despite having fast bowling options? | Cricket News

Why does Lakshmipathy Balaji think South Africa will open bowling with Aiden Markram vs India despite having fast bowling options? | Cricket News

2 min readUpdated: Feb 20, 2026 11:36 PM IST With the absence of Sanju Samson, India is stuck in a conundrum with three left-handers at the top in Ishan Kishan, Abhishek Sharma and Tilak Varma. Although South Africa does not have a specialist off-spinner on their side, Aiden Markram has rolled over his arm a few times in the past and has a knack for picking wickets. Former Indian cricketer Lakshmipathy Balaji predicted that skipper Markram would open the bowling with him and said both Abhishek and Tilak could lack the conviction to face Markram. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW VIDEO “Markram will definitely open the bowling with three left-handers in India’s top three. And except Ishan Kishan, the other two are coming in without runs under their belt. They could lack the conviction to play a sweep or use their feet,” said Balaji in the YouTube channel of Subramaniam Badrinath. Adding to the point made by Balaji Badrinath, Suryakumar Yadav is India’s best player of spin. But he comes into bat only at No.4, so his …

South Africa brace for India test after cruising through group stage: ‘It’s a destructive line-up’ | Cricket News

South Africa brace for India test after cruising through group stage: ‘It’s a destructive line-up’ | Cricket News

4 min readFeb 18, 2026 06:22 PM IST ‘Keep playing as we are.’ That’s what South African swashbuckler Dewald Brevis said the team’s approach will be as they prepare for their first Super Eight encounter, against co-hosts India, in Ahmedabad on Sunday. The Proteas will go into that game with a perfect record in the group stage and though it will count for very little in the next phase of the ICC T20 World Cup, it will give them some confidence against the tournament favourites. The Proteas may also take some lessons from the T20 series they played in India a few months ago and though they were at the receiving end of a 3-1 reversal, there would be a few lessons learnt. “It will be a fresh game on another surface,” Brevis said. “After the last series, my father pointed out that it was only a preparation for when we met India at the World Cup. In such matches, it’s important to look after the small things that can make a big difference.” One …

‘I think Suryakumar Yadav is going to be focusing on getting runs because he really needs some runs under his belt’: Varun Aaron | Cricket News

‘I think Suryakumar Yadav is going to be focusing on getting runs because he really needs some runs under his belt’: Varun Aaron | Cricket News

The form of Suryakumar Yadav has been a massive concern for the Indian T20I side. In the ongoing series against South Africa, Surya scored 29 runs from three games at an average of 9.67 runs. Going into the final T20I, former Indian cricketer Varun Aaron reckoned that Surya needs to get runs under his belt, which will give him massive confidence. “I think Suryakumar Yadav is going to be focusing on getting runs because he really needs some runs under his belt. If Suryakumar Yadav scores runs, there will be a huge change in confidence because runs haven’t come from his bat for a long time, and even from Shubman Gill’s bat,” Aaron said on Star Sports. “These two are key batters in our setup when we talk about the T20 World Cup, and if they score runs, the Indian team will remain absolutely bullet-proof,” Aaron observed. Aaron also observed that Surya did manage to put on a decent show in the Syed Mustaq Ali trophy.  He scored 165 runs at an average of 41.25 …