India vs South Africa 2020: 3 Indian players who will be under pressure to perform

In three days’ time, the Indian team will take on South Africa in a three-match ODI series. This will be the last international assignment for the Men in Blue before the IPL starts. The Indian side arrives into the series having been thrashed in both -- the ODI as well as the Test series -- against the Kiwis. They will be looking to end their losing streak when they take on South Africa in more familiar conditions.

On the other hand, the Proteas will be high on confidence after pounding Australia 3-0 at home.

In this article, let us look at three Indian players who will be under pressure to perform in the series.

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#3. Virat Kohli

The Indian skipper will look to end his poor run with the bat

It feels extremely strange to include Virat Kohli’s name on the list. But then, the Indian skipper was woefully short of runs in the ODI and the Test series against the Kiwis. In the three-match ODI series against New Zealand, Kohli could aggregate just 75 runs, at an underwhelming average of 25.00. In the white flannels, his fortunes plummeted even further and he averaged a miserable 9.50 across four innings.

Also, the Indian skipper is yet to score a single international hundred in 2020. His scores in his last six international innings read 14,3,19,2,9, and 15. Kohli is one man who loves to challenge himself and his hunger for runs is voracious. In the series against South Africa, the Indian skipper will definitely look to get some runs under his belt and end his poor run with the bat.

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#2. Jasprit Bumrah

Bumrah will look to end his dry run with the ball in the series against South Africa

Along with Kohli, another man who has been the cornerstone of the Indian side is Jasprit Bumrah. However, the pacer has been off-color recently. In the six ODIs that he has played in 2020, Bumrah has managed to pick up just a solitary wicket. He has not been at his best, and his poor form with the ball was one of the main reasons why India’s fortunes plummeted in the ODI series against the Kiwis.

Also see – IPL 2020 Players

Bumrah will now get another chance to redeem himself when he takes the field against South Africa at home. Given that he has immense talent, he will look to end his dry run with the ball and once again get amongst the wickets for the Men in Blue.

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#1. Rishabh Pant

Pant’s recent form is indeed a cause of concern for the Indian side

Ever since he made his debut, there has been a lot of talk about Rishabh Pant not converting his immense talent into performances with the willow. And, Pant’s recent form is indeed a cause of concern for the Indian side.

In the recently concluded Test series against the Kiwis, the southpaw was all at sea in the swinging and seaming conditions in New Zealand, aggregating just 60 runs across four innings. Also, his ODI batting average of 26.71 does not do justice to the immense talent that the youngster possesses.

In his entire ODI career, the Indian wicketkeeper has scored just a solitary fifty. Pant will look to put up some solid performances with the bat in the upcoming series against South Africa and justify his talent with runs from the willow.