3 Indian players for whom SA vs IND T20Is 2024 could be a make-or-break series ft. Abhishek Sharma

India are set to square off against South Africa in a four-match T20I series starting Friday, November 8. Led by Suryakumar Yadav, the Men in Blue will take on the Proteas in this away series.

The last time India traveled to South Africa for a T20I series was in December 2023, where the series ended in a 1-1 draw after the opening game was washed out due to rain.

After a challenging home Test series against New Zealand, the focus now shifts to the T20 format. The first T20I will be played in Durban while Gqeberha, Centurion, and Johannesburg will host the other three games, respectively.

Several youngsters are a part of the Indian squad for this series while some are also touring South Africa for the first time. They will be keen to perform well and leave an impression on the international level.

However, some Indian players will be under pressure particularly to perform in this series. They might lose their spot in the side should they fail to deliver, making it a make-or-break series for them.

On that note, let us take a look at three such Indian players for whom SA vs IND T20Is 2024 could be a make-or-break series.

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#3 Sanju Samson

Sanju Samson might be offered the opportunity to open again in this series. In his 33-game T20I journey for India, he has played eight times as an opener. Apart from a strong 77 against Ireland in 2022, his performances had generally stayed below par until his explosive innings in the final T20I against Bangladesh last month, where he struck a blistering 111 off 47 balls

This form has likely secured him a spot at the top of the order for the series in South Africa, presenting an opportunity Samson will be keen to capitalize on. The year 2024 has been somewhat mixed for Samson. While he had an impressive run in IPL 2024, scoring 531 runs in 16 innings with an average of 48.27, his outings on the international stage have shown inconsistency.

This year, he has only featured in nine T20Is and has struggled across eight innings, recording three ducks, a single half-century, and a century. With Rohit Sharma’s exit from T20Is creating an opening in the Indian top order, Samson has to perform well if he intends to present a strong case for himself.

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#2 Avesh Khan

Pacer Avesh Khan returns to the Indian team after quite a gap. In a new-look pace attack that will be led by Arshdeep, Avesh has an opportunity to prove himself.

Among the likes of Vyshak Vijaykumar and Yash Dayal, Avesh is the only pacer with prior international experience. However, Vyshak has put up some decent performers for Karnataka and Royal Challengers Bengaluru in recent times, while Yash Dayal also had an impactful IPL 2024 season.

With Jasprit Bumrah and Arshdeep, the competition for other pacers to make their place in the side is tough. Should Vyshak and Yash Dayal perform well if given opportunities, with Harshit Rana also in the mix, Avesh could find it difficult to return to the side.

He has been around for a while, having played 23 T20Is but has picked up only 25 wickets at an average of 28.04. Avesh will have to perform consistently in this series.

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#1 Abhishek Sharma

Another candidate vying for an opening role is Abhishek Sharma, known for his aggressive starts in the powerplay during the IPL 2024. His recent domestic performances have been strong; he emerged as the second-highest scorer in the 2023-24 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, contributing significantly to Punjab’s victorious campaign.

Although Abhishek earned a spot in the squad for the Zimbabwe series in July, his international outings have not yielded consistent performances. While he made a stunning 100 off 36 balls in only his second T20I, he has yet to cross the 20-run mark in his six other innings.

Abhishek also topped the run charts for India A in the Emerging Asia Cup just last month. Expected to open alongside Samson, Abhishek has a prime chance to solidify his place in India’s T20I lineup with a few reliable scores. His left-arm spin adds extra value as well. Abhishek has received backing and will be under pressure to deliver consistent performances with stiff competition in the top order.