The Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium in Dharamsala is set to host a pivotal encounter as India and South Africa square off in the third T20I of their five-match series, with the scores tied at 1-1.
The match comes on the heels of South Africa's dominant 51-run victory in the second game at Mullanpur, where the visitors posted an imposing 213/4 and bundled out India for a below-par total.
Both teams are eager to gain the upper hand ahead of the 2026 T20 World Cup, with India's batting woes and South Africa's disciplined pace attack under the spotlight.
Dharamshala Pitch Report
The high-altitude venue in Dharamsala is expected to favor seam bowlers early on, offering extra bounce and movement that could challenge the top orders. The pitch, known for its pace
and carry, should allow batters to score freely once settled, but the initial overs could be tricky.
IND vs SA 3rd T20I Team News and Injury Updates
India and South Africa both have a full squad available for this match. Captain Suryakumar Yadav's decision to promote Axar Patel to No. 3 in the previous match is seen as a tactical misstep and is likely to be rectified, with Yadav expected to return to his preferred slot.
The pace department, led by Jasprit Bumrah and Arshdeep Singh, underperformed last time out, prompting considerations for reinforcements like Harshit Rana to bolster the attack in seam-friendly conditions. No major injuries have been reported from either side. South Africa, buoyed by their recent win, are expected to stick with a largely unchanged XI, relying on their seamers like Marco Jansen and Lungi Ngidi to exploit the Dharamsala bounce.
The Proteas have shown flashes of dominance but will need to maintain consistency against a resilient Indian side at home.
Much of the pre-match chatter revolves around India's opening conundrum, particularly involving vice-captain Shubman Gill and the potential return of Sanju Samson. Gill, who has been struggling for form, faces a make-or-break "audition" in this series. His golden duck in the second T20I - edging an outswinger from Ngidi to first slip on his home ground - has intensified scrutiny on his place in the XI.
With the T20 World Cup looming, team management is reportedly giving him three matches to rediscover his touch, but a poor showing could see him benched.
Gill's lean patch has raised questions about his adaptability in the shortest format, and a failure here might prompt a shift to alternatives like Yashasvi Jaiswal in future plans.On the flip side, Sanju Samson is poised for a comeback after being surprisingly dropped earlier in the series. Despite not being the original opener, Samson's explosive batting could provide the stability India needs at the top.
IND vs SA Predicted Playing 11
India Predicted XI: Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson, Tilak Varma, Suryakumar Yadav (c), Hardik Pandya, Jitesh Sharma (wk), Axar Patel, Harshit Rana, Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Varun Chakaravarthy.
South Africa Predicted XI: Reeza Hendricks, Quinton de Kock (wk), Aiden Markram (c), Dewald Brevis, David Miller, Donovan Ferreira, George Linde, Marco Jansen, Corbin Bosch, Lungi Ngidi, Ottneil Baartman
