India had a slight concern on the eve of the first T20I in Cuttack as Hardik Pandya felt uncomfortable during training. Early signs suggest it is a precautionary measure, but his status remains a key talking point ahead of the game against South Africa.
Hardik had only just returned from a left quadriceps injury from the 2025 Asia Cup. He was cleared to play last week and even bowled full spells in two Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy matches for Baroda.
In Cuttack, he bowled for about 20 minutes during an individual session. He then felt a bit uncomfortable and was treated. Then he just batted, raising concerns within the Indian camp.
He skipped India’s final practice before the match. Team sources say the measure was precautionary and there are no signs of a serious problem. Still, India will be cautious with him given how important he is to their 2026 T20 World Cup plans.
India currently does not have a strong backup for his role. Nitish Kumar Reddy has not made much of an impact as an all-rounder, so Hardik’s availability brings better balance to the team.
Shubman Gill trained well after recovering from a neck problem. He faced Jasprit Bumrah and local bowlers for a long net session and looked at ease.
Suryakumar Yadav, Jitesh Sharma, Washington Sundar, Abhishek Sharma and Tilak Varma also had busy sessions. They spent time batting and working on their part-time bowling.
Barabati Stadium will host its first match on a fresh red soil pitch. It is expected to be bouncy under lights and could lead to a high scoring match. India have lost both the T20Is they played here against South Africa, so they will want a better result this time.
India can open with Gill and Abhishek Sharma. This means that Sanju Samson could miss out if India were to stick with this combination. For South Africa, Aiden Markram returns to lead the team. Anrich Nortje is also set for his first match since the 2024 T20 World Cup Final.
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