India Eyes Series Win Against South Africa: Spotlight on Rinku Singh's Form and Batting Position

With an 11-run victory against South Africa, India gained a 2-1 le in four-match series at SuperSport Park. India set a target of 219, powered by Abhishek Sharma's quick 50 off 25 and Tilak Varma's remarkable undefeated 107 off 56 balls. Pursuing 219, South Africa managed 208 with Marco Jansen striking a quickfire 54 off 17 deliveries. With three wickets, Arshdeep Singh was essential with ball for India. Showcasing competitive T20 cricket, game included significant partnerships and exciting events.

Focus on Rinku's form and batting position as India aim series win

Rinku Singh's batting slot and circumspect approach must be a cause of concern for India team going into deciding fourth T20I against South Africa as side aims for anor bilateral series victory here Friday.

Centuries by Sanju Samson and Tilak Varma on eir side of an inept batting performance has kept India's nose ahe in series and team would want a more collective batting effort to clinch it 3-1.

Wanderers 'Bull Ring' has always been a happy hunting ground for India, where y won 2007 T20 World Cup final against Pakistan .

Even during previous T20I series a year back, skipper Suryakumar Yav 's last international hundred till date came at this very stium and that too in a winning cause.

Indian captain, who enjoys a staggering victory percentage of 81.25, having come up trumps in 13 out of 16 matches, would like to do one better compared to last series in Rainbow Nation which h ended in a 1-1 draw with one game being washed out.

Curious case of Rinku Singh ================= Rinku, one of finest exponents of T20 cricket has suddenly gone off boil in past few months, reasons of which aren't exactly clear and it wouldn't be lost on skipper and interim he coach VVS Laxman.

On face of it, it seems that his batting position and use as a floater at number six and seven isn't helping Aligarh man's cause.

next T20 World Cup in India is still some distance away in 2026 and Surya, as a skipper, has enough time to dissect and put things back on track for man, who is too precious to be lost due to lack of clarity.

In current series, Rinku came in at number six in two games and number seven in anor and has managed just 28 runs.

scores 11, 9 and 8 shouldn't be taken in isolation looking at where he is coming in to bat but when number of balls (34) he has taken to score runs is taken into consideration, it becomes worrisome.

Even during last IPL Rinku got to play a total of 113 balls in 15 games for KKR: roughly 7.5 deliveries per game.

Being seen strictly as a specialist "finisher" Rinku, on an average, would get to face 10 balls in an innings. strategy would have been devised to help India team but of late it has eroded some of southpaw's confidence as he seems to be caught between attacking and playing second fiddle.

Most of Rinku's better efforts have come when he has batted at number five but in a line-up where Sanju Samson is settling as an opener and Tilak Varma has staked claim as a No. 3, it might be difficult for Rinku to be promoted ahe of Hardik Pandya . It is an issue that team think-tank would do better to solve at earliest.

Team Combination =========== India have used 12 out of ir 15 players in first three games and it would be interesting to see if one among two uncapped pacers Yash Dayal or Vysakh Vijaykumar gets a debut cap in case pitch warrants an extra specialist speedster. For Samson, he would like to forget that he is turning into Marco Jansen's 'bunny' after back-to-back failures.

In final game, it wouldn't be a b option for skipper Surya to check on Ramandeep Singh's stey medium pace as he can be an asset with multiple skills, including ability to field at all positions save keeping.

Squs: India: Suryakumar Yav (c), Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson (WK), Rinku Singh, Tilak Varma, Jitesh Sharma (WK), Hardik Pandya. Axar Patel, Ramandeep Singh. Varun Chakaravarthy, Ravi Bishnoi, Arshdeep Singh, Vijaykumar Vyshak, Avesh Khan, Yash Dayal.

South Africa: Aiden Markram (c), Ottneil Baartman, Gerald Coetzee, Donovan Ferreira, Reeza Hendricks, Marco Jansen. Heinrich Klaasen, Patrick Kruger. Keshav Maharaj, David Miller, Mihlali Mpongwana, Nqaba Peter, Ryan Rickelton. Andile Simelane. Lutho Sipamla, Tristan Stubbs.

Match Starts: 8:30 pm. 

(PTI)

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