IND vs SA T20I Series: Top Three Takeaways ft. Suryakumar Yadav, Shubman Gill and Kuldeep Yadav

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IND vs SA T20I Series: The three-match T20I series between India and South Africa concluded on Thursday, December 14, with a 1-1 draw after Suryakumar Yadav and Kuldeep Yadav fired the visitors to an emphatic 106-run win in Johannesburg.

Being asked to bat first, Suryakumar Yadav (100 off 56) scored a hundred, and Yashasvi Jaiswal smashed 60 off 41 at the top as India finished their innings at 201/7.

In reply, South Africa could manage just 95 runs in 13.5 overs after a five-wicket haul from Kuldeep Yadav (5/17). Ravindra Jadeja also chipped in with two wickets.

India's defeat in the second T20I was disappointing but their roaring comeback would set the tone for the following three-match T20I series now. But before that, let's have a look at three major takeaways from the India vs South Africa T20I series.

IND vs SA T20I Series: Top Three Takeaways ft. Suryakumar Yadav and Kuldeep Yadav

Suryakumar Yadav is a beast in T20I cricket: Suryakumar Yadav ODI could not flourish despite being given numerous chances, but the right-hander has made it clear that he is the best in T20Is.

Coping with severe criticisms for his outings in World Cup 2023, Suryakumar Yadav first guided India to a 4-1 series win against Australia at home. He retained the captaincy for South Africa T20Is and led from the front in foreign conditions.

56 off 36 in the first match, before a cracking fourth T20I hundred in the series-decider. He finished the tournament as the leading run-scorer - 156 runs in two matches at an average of 78. His T20I career boasts of 2141 runs in 60 matches at an average of 45.55 and a strike rate of 171.55.

Only Suryakumar Yadav, Rohit Sharma and Glenn Maxwell have four hundreds in T20I cricket. The Mumbai batter seemed to have booked the number four spot for the T20 World Cup 2024.

Kuldeep Yadav India's number white-ball spinner: Ravi Bishnoi, the number one ranked T20I bowler in the world, was named Man of the Series against Australia. However, he did not get a single match to play in South Africa.

Kuldeep Yadav, who pipped all the other spinners for a World Cup 2023 spot, played both the games and finished as the leading wicket-taker. He picked six wickets at an average of 7.17. His five-wicket haul in the third T20I single-handedly took the game away from South Africa.

Bishnoi is not part of the ODIs where Kuldeep will be joined by his good friend Yuzvendra Chahal. The 29-year-old has proved his worth in all the conditions and has made himself the undisputed number one white-ball spinner of India.

Shubham Gill might not be India's ideal opener in T20Is: The crowned 'Prince' of Indian cricket, Shubman Gill featured in both the T20Is as opener. Ruturaj Gaikwad was reported to be ill in the first T20I.

The opening pair of Yashasvi Jaiswal and Ruturaj Gaikwad complimented each other more in the Australia T20Is. However, the comeback of Gill called for adjustments which did not work for Team India. After the first T20I got washed out, he was dismissed for a duck in the second T20I. In the third T20I, the Punjab batter could score only 8.

Gaikwad was held back despite his hundred in the Australia series where he was the vice-captain for the first three matches. With just three T20Is left before the T20 World Cup 2024, the management will need to make a quick decision.