Focus on Gill, Yadav as India look to seal T20I series in Lucknow

Shubman Gill’s lack of runs has dominated discussion in the build-up to the fourth T20I, but India’s captain Suryakumar Yadav is facing scrutiny of his own as the hosts look to wrap up the five-match series against South Africa in Lucknow on Wednesday.

India’s chase of a modest 118 in the third T20I at Dharamsala appeared the perfect stage for Suryakumar to regain his rhythm, yet the fluency that once made him the world’s top-ranked T20I batter was largely absent. Strokes that previously defined his authority continue to bring inconsistent outcomes and his dismissal while attempting his signature pick-up shot again underlined his struggle for timing.

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Suryakumar, however, remains adamant that his game is in good shape despite the lack of returns. “The thing is, I’ve been batting beautifully in the nets. I’m trying everything that’s in my control. When the runs have to come, they’ll definitely come. I’m not out of form, but definitely out of runs,” he said at the post-match presentation after India’s win in Dharamsala on Sunday.

However, statistics offer a less reassuring picture. The Indian skipper has averaged under 15 in T20Is this season and is yet to register a half-century in 2025, marking the longest such drought of his career. In this period, he has crossed the 20-ball mark only twice.

With the T20 World Cup less than two months away, India will be keen for their captain to rediscover his best touch quickly.

Meanwhile, Gill’s struggles at the top of the order have only added to the struggle. Promoted to open, the vice-captain is yet to settle into the role, with the reshuffle also disrupting a promising partnership between Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson. Samson was initially pushed down the order before being left out altogether, despite encouraging signs earlier in the series. Despite managing a scratchy run-a-ball 28 in Dharamsala, Gill looked far from convincing during his knock.

Axar ruled out; Shahbaz named replacement for remaining two T20Is

With Axar Patel being ruled out of the remaining two matches, due to illness, India were forced to draft in Shahbaz Ahmed. Axar’s absence could pave the way for Kuldeep Yadav to get a longer run in the side.

Jasprit Bumrah’s availability is still unclear after missing the previous match for personal reasons, though his absence in Dharamsala was softened by Arshdeep Singh’s player-of-the-match display and solid support from Harshit Rana.

South Africa aim for stability

For the Proteas, inconsistency has plagued them in the shortest format since their T20 World Cup final appearance last June, with 18 defeats in 28 matches. The script remained largely similar in the ongoing series. Aiden Markram’s side came back brilliantly in the second match in New Chandigarh but were outplayed twice, and on Wednesday, the visitors desperately need a win to keep the series alive.

Continued experimentation with combinations has prevented the side from finding momentum, with frequent changes disrupting rhythm and continuity. With two matches left in India and three more at home against the West Indies before their T20 World Cup opener on February 9, South Africa still have limited time to sort out their combinations. It remains to be seen whether they persist with rotation or prioritise results in the remaining fixtures.

Squads:

India: Suryakumar Yadav (captain), Shubman Gill, Abhishek Sharma, N. Tilak Verma, Shahbaz Ahmed, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Jitesh Sharma (wk), Varun Chakravarthy, Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Sanju Samson (wk), Harshit Rana, Kuldeep Yadav, Washington Sundar.

South Africa: Aiden Markram (captain), Quinton de Kock, Reeza Hendricks, Dewald Brevis, David Miller, Tristan Stubbs, Donovan Ferreira, Marco Jansen, Lutho Sipamla, Ottniel Baartman, Anrich Nortje, Lungi Ngidi, Corbin Bosch, Keshav Maharaj, George Linde.