India and South Africa will meet in the 2nd T20I in Mullanpur where the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh Stadium will host its first international men’s match. The day-night game involves December fog, smog and a lot of uncertainty about how the surface will behave.
The field has a mixed record. It has produced over 200 totals in the IPL, but has also produced tough, low-scoring games. Both teams are expecting another tough exam, similar to what they faced on the Cuttack surface in the first T20I.
This series may not have high stakes, but it is important to plan ahead. The 2026 T20 World Cup is likely to be played on high-scoring pitches, so India and South Africa see this as a handy opportunity to test their plans and combinations.
Dew could play a big role. With hazy air and moisture expected later in the evening, fielding could become difficult in the second innings. Chasing may seem easier, even though IPL numbers here usually support teams batting first.
India’s biggest concern is Suryakumar Yadav’s long absence in the T20Is. The team enjoyed the solid return of Hardik Pandya and the depth of their batting in Cuttack. With a fit squad, India have room to rotate players if they want to take a fresh look at certain roles.
South Africa will probably remain unchanged. They want more time on this surface to understand how it behaves over 40 overs.
Captain Aiden Markram said: “These days in T20 cricket there isn’t much time to look around and absorb. You almost want to draw a line through it and stick to the positive aspects of this format.”
Hardik Pandya is on the cusp of a special brand. He needs one wicket to reach 100 T20I wickets. If he gets there, he will become the first seamer in men’s T20Is with more than 1000 runs and more than 100 wickets.
Suryakumar hopes to play with the same freedom he demands from his teammates.
He said: “With 7 to 8 batters there will be days where some of us won’t have our day but others will gloss over it. We want everyone to be fearless and enjoy their batting.”
Mullanpur’s debut as an international men’s venue brings new challenges and new excitement. Both teams hope to learn more than lose as they strive for next year’s bigger goals.
India are likely to play as an XI for the 2nd T20I
Abhishek Sharma, Shubman Gill, Suryakumar Yadav (C), Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Jitesh Sharma (WK), Axar Patel, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah
South Africa is likely to play as an XI for the 2nd T20I
Aiden Markram (C), Cock’s Quinton (WK), Stubbs, David Miller, Donovan Ferreira, Marco Jansen, Corb Bosch, Cornwall, Anrich North, Ngidi
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