Indian cricket team captain Rohit Sharma was asked for his opinion on BCCI planning to cancel India’s traveling to Pakistan for the Asia Cup 2023 as they have to decide whether they will play any tournaments in Pakistan. Rohit Sharma feels BCCI will make the decision on it and the players should be focused on playing games.

“My take is let’s focus on this World Cup because this is important for us. Whatever happens later, the BCCI will decide,” said Rohit Sharma in the pre-match press conference as reported by ESPNcricinfo.com.

Indian cricket team is due to play against Pakistan in their first game of the T20 World Cup 2022 on Sunday, 23rd October in Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG). The venue for the Asia Cup 2023 is not decided yet and will be finalised soon.

Rohit Sharma has praised middle-order batter Suryakumar Yadav and said he is one of the important players for team India. India cricket team skipper (Rohit Sharma) feels Suryakumar Yadav can be the ‘X- factor’ of the Indian team in the upcoming T20 World Cup.

Suryakumar Yadav is one of the best batters in the year 2022. Suryakumar Yadav hit the most number of sixes in blue jersey in 2022 and also broke the record for scoring most runs for India in T20Is in a calendar year. Mumbai Indians’ batter Suryakumar Yadav is also occupied the second position in the ICC Men’s T20I batting rankings.

Thus, Rohit Sharma has shown much faith in his country and IPL teammate (Suryakumar Yadav).

“Surya can be our X-Factor. I hope he can continue his great form. He is a very confident player and he has confidence and momentum by his side currently,” said Rohit Sharma after the photo session of World Cup teams’ captains as reported by ANI.

Indian cricket team was not good with the bat and the bowl. Bowling is still a main concern for the Indian team ahead of the T20 World Cup. India’s bowling is not been good this year which is also putting doubts in fans’ mind whether they will manage to do it in the upcoming T20 World Cup. India’s howling stats is so poor that they have conceded 200+ runs six times in T20Is in the year 2022 so far.

This is the most time India have conceded 200+ runs in T20Is in a calendar year.

India conceding 200+ runs in T20Is:

2007: 1 time

2009: 2 times

2012: 1 time

2013: 1 time

2015: 1 time

2016: 1 time

2019: 3 times

2020: 1 time

2022: 6 times*

Rohit Sharma’s blues were given the target of 228 runs in the third T20I against South Africa on Tuesday as the bowlers didn’t manage to stop them inside 200 runs.

Indian cricket team have already won the series against South Africa as they are currently leading it by 2-0. They have won both of their starting games and made history at home. As India have won the series, so there are lot of changes made in the starting XI. Virat Kohli and Suryakumar Yadav has been rested for this game and some new names have been added to the playing XI.

India’s playing XI for the 3rd T20I against South Africa: 

Rohit Sharma(c), Rishabh Pant(w), Shreyas Iyer, Dinesh Karthik, Suryakumar Yadav,, Axar Patel, Ravichandran Ashwin, Harshal Patel, Deepak Chahar, Umesh Yadav, Mohammed Siraj.

This was the first time when Indian team defeated South Africa in the T20I series at home. Rohit Sharma becomes the first captain to defeat South Africa in the T20I series at home. As India have already won the series, so it seems some experienced players will be rested for this game as World Cup is near. Virat Kohli and KL Rahul is expected to rest in this game and some young players will be given chances.

Predicted India’s playing XI: 

Rohit Sharma (c), Shreyas Iyer, Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant (wk), Dinesh Karthik, Axar Patel, Ashwin, Arshdeep Singh, Harshal Patel, Deepak Chahar, Mohammed Siraj.

Predicted South Africa’s playing XI: 

Quinton de Kock (wk), Temba Bavuma (c), Rilee Rossouw, Aiden Markram, David Miller, Tristian Stubbs, Wayne Parnell, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi, Anrich Nortje.

Venue:

Holkar Stadium, Indore, Madhya Pradesh.

Timings:

India vs South Africa, 3rd T20I will begin on Tuesday, 4th October at 7:00 PM (IST).

Since Rohit Sharma has been made India’s full-time captain, Indian cricket team hasn’t lost a single bilateral series. India played 10 bilateral series after Rohit became Indian captian. Indian cricket team also defeated Australia before South Africa’s series. Rohit Sharma’s blues made an amazing comeback in the 3-match T20I series against Australia after they were defeated by them in the first T20I.

Rohit Sharma in bilateral series as India’s full-time captain: 

3-0 vs New Zealand (T20I series)

3-0 vs West Indies (ODI series)

3-0 vs West Indies (T20I series)

3-0 vs Sri Lanka (T20I series)

2-0 vs Sri Lanka (Test series)

2-1 vs England (T20I series)

2-1 vs England (ODI series)

4-1 vs West Indies (T20I series)

2-1 vs Australia (T20I series)

2-0* vs South Africa (T20I series) 

Indian team will look to clean sweep the series against South Africa after winning the third T20I against South Africa which will be played on 4th October, Tuesday.

Indian team played the first game very well and it was a total dominating performance from Rohit Sharma’s blues. Young Indian bowlers who played the first T20I against South Africa had an amazing game. Arshdeep Singh who was named ‘Player of the match’  picked three wickets in his very first over of the game. IT doesn’t seem that team India will have some changes in the playing XI unless there’s any injury concern.

India’s predicted playing XI:

Rohit Sharma (captain), KL Rahul, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant (wicketkeeper), Dinesh Karthik, Axar Patel, Ravichandran Ashwin, Arshdeep Singh, Harshal Patel, Deepak Chahar.

South Africa’s predicted XI:

Quinton de Kock (wicketkeeper), Temba Bavuma (captain), Rilee Rossouw, Aiden Markram, David Miller, Tristian Stubbs, Wayne Parnell, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Tabraiz Shamsi, Anrich Nortje.

Venue:

Barsapara Stadium, Guwahati, Assam.

Timings:

India vs South Africa, 2nd T20I will begin on Sunday, 2nd October at 7:00 PM (IST).

Virat Kohli and Babar Azam played same amount of innings when they reach their 3000 T20I run-mark. Babar Azam reached this milestone on Friday when he was playing his 81st inning. The Pakistan cricketer is really in peak of his form and there’s no one stopping him. Babar Azam has improved very well and is one of the greatest batters in the current era. Despite his 87* run innings in the 6th T20I against England, Pakistan didn’t manage to win the game and the series is now tied at 3-3.

Babar Azam was also the second fastest to reach 1000 T20I runs, joint fastest to reach 2000 runs in T20I, and now joint fastest with Virat Kohli to reach 3000 runs in T20Is.

Fewest Innings to reach 3000 runs in Men’s T20Is: 

81 innings – Babar Azam 🇵🇰

81 innings – Virat Kohli 🇮🇳

101 innings – Martin Guptill 🇳🇿

108 innings – Rohit Sharma 🇮🇳

113 innings – Paul Stirling. 🇮🇪

It was a total display of wonderful bowling in the first T20I by Indian bowlers. It all started with Deepak Chahar who was into the team after a long time. Deepak took a wicket in his very first over as he dismissed the South African captain Temba Bavuma. Arshdeep Singh was again on headlines as the ‘Player of the match’ took three wickets in his very first over.

Arshdeep sent Quinton de Kock, Rilee Rossouw, and David Miller in his first over of the game.

“Getting five wickets in quick time was turning point. It was a perfect showcase of how to bowl when there is help for the pacers. We knew the bowlers would get something because of the grass on the pitch,” said Rohit Sharma in the post-match presentation telecasted on Star Sports Network.

Rohit Sharma was out on 0 (2) in the first T20I as Kagiso Rabada got him out in his second over of the game. Indian skipper Rohit Sharma registered his ninth duck in T20 Internationals which is most by any Indian in this format of cricket.

Rohit Sharma is on the top of this list of most ducks by Indian in T20Is. After Rohit Sharma his opening partner KL Rahul is in this list with 5 ducks in T20Is. Another batter in this list is Former Indian cricket team captain Virat Kohli who has 4 ducks in this format.

Despite a duck from Rohit Sharma, Indian cricket team won the game easily thanks to Suryakumar Yadav and KL Rahul who scored emphatic half-centuries to make India lead the series by 1-0 against South Africa.

Now, India will be looking to win the series against South Africa. This matches and series are preparations for the upcoming T20 World Cup. Rohit Sharma and company look a great team but still needs to figure out some things before the big tournament as skipper himself told in his recent interview. Fans expect some changes in the playing XI of India as they can give opportunity to some faces who are into the squad of World Cup but haven’t got much game time.

Predicted India’s playing XI: 

KL Rahul, Rohit Sharma ©, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Dinesh Karthik (wk), Axar Patel, Harshal Patel, Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Yuzvendra Chahal, Deepak Chahar.

Predicted South Africa’s playing XI: 

Quinton de Kock (wk), Reeza Hendricks, Rassie van der Dussen, Aiden Markram, Temba Bavuma ©, David Miller, Anrich Nortje, Dwaine Pretorius, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Tabraiz Shamsi.

Venue:

Greenfield International Stadium, Thiruvananthapuram.

Timings:

India vs South Africa, first T20I will begin on Wednesday, 28th September at 7:30 PM (IST).

Dinesh Karthik and Rishabh Pant normally don’t play together in one team but Indian fans know how talented they are. Wicket-keeper batter Dinesh Karthik got some game time in the recent T20I series against Australia. Rishabh Pant didn’t get to play much games in Asia Cup and in Australia’s series.

Rohit Sharma knows how good these both batters are and he also think it is very difficult to choose one between them.

“I obviously wanted these guys to have a number of games under their belt before the World Cup. When we went to the Asia Cup, both these guys were in the fray to play all the games or whenever there is an opportunity or if there is a tactical matchup, we can bring in those guys. But I just feel that Dinesh needs a little more game time, so does Pant,” said Rohit Sharma ahead of the first T20I against South Africa as reported by India Today.