Sunil Gavaskar names the key bowler for India ahead of Centurion T20I

The Indian team will lock horns with South Africa today in the deciding second T20I at Supersport Park, Centurion. It promises to be a high octane clash as both the teams are expected to go all guns blazing in a bid to establish their final dominion.

While the Men in Blue have outclassed the Proteas in the limited overs leg courtesy some impeccable batting, the efforts of young wrist spinners Yuzvendra Chahal and Kuldeep Yadav can’t go unnoticed. The duo scripted history by claiming an overall 30 wickets in the ODI series, the highest by Indian spinners in a bilateral series.

And ahead of today’s fixture, India batting legend Sunil Gavaskar feels the wrist spinner will play a pivotal role to help India create history once again. Speaking to TOI, the 61-year-old said, “Centurion pitch will help the spinners more as was seen in the last one-day game last week. Chahal will be a key bowler in the middle overs again.”

With the Supersport Park pitch expected to behave comparatively slower than the Wanderers, India could bring in a spinner to the mix while dropping a seamer. In that case, Jaydev Unadkat could make way for either Kuldeep Yadav or Axar Patel alongside Yuzvendra Chahal.

South Africa will be without de Villiers

As was vivid in the previous encounter, the difference between India and South Africa was in the powerplay overs. While India smashed 78/2, the Proteas could only produce 41/2 and were never looked in shape to chase down the target. After Rohit Sharma’s smashing start, Suresh Raina joined in at No 3. But with a slower pitch in the offing, Raina could bat at a different position.

To make things even worse for the hosts, marquee batsman AB de Villiers has been ruled out of the series in order to give him time to recover for the upcoming Australia tour. With no replacement being named, South Africa is expected to go with the same side that took the field at Wanderers.