2nd T20I: Hendricks comes in as South Africa elect to bowl against India

South Africa have won the toss and elected to bowl first against India in the second T20I at St George’s Park on Sunday. India are leading the four-match series 1-0, after winning the opening match in Durban by 61 runs.

After winning the toss, where some drizzle made its way, captain Aiden Markram said batter Reeza Hendricks is available, and walks back into the side in place of batting all-rounder Patrick Kruger. “With rain around, that's the obvious part. Hope the bowlers use the moisture. We are not concerned about the outcome or result,” he said.

India skipper Suryakumar Yadav said his playing eleven is unchanged. “We wanted to bat first and play same brand of cricket, happy with the things in the last match. You always learn something or the other in every game. We want to continue the good habits,” he said.

If India manage to win the second T20I against South Africa, they will equal their best-ever winning streak of 12 games, which they have achieved twice in this format. Pitch report from Shaun Pollock and Ashwell Prince said bowling first could prove to be the ideal option due to stiff breeze, and some possibility of rain. They added that there is more grass than usual on the pitch, but it is hard and firm in nature, thus implying there would be some early seam movement.

Playing XIs

India: Sanju Samson (wicketkeeper), Abhishek Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav (captain), Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Rinku Singh, Axar Patel, Arshdeep Singh, Ravi Bishnoi, Varun Chakaravarthy and Avesh Khan.

South Africa: Aiden Markram (captain), Ryan Rickelton, Reeza Hendricks, Tristan Stubbs, Heinrich Klaasen (wicketkeeper), David Miller, Marco Jansen, Andile Simelane, Gerald Coetzee, Keshav Maharaj and Nqabayomzi Peter.