In the first T20I match against Team India, South Africa skipper <a href="https://www.mid-day.com/sports/cricket/article/ind-vs-sa-1st-t20i-aiden-markram-picks-abhishek-sharma-as-big-wicket-23606866" rel="nofollow">Aiden Markram</a> won the toss and elected to bowl first at the Barabati Stadium in Cuttack.
Team India's star batsman Shubman Gill and all-rounder Hardik Pandya have returned to the team after missing out on the previous action due to injuries.
Fans will keep a tab on Pandya, while Team India's think tank will expect him to make crucial contributions in the series opener. Additionally, it will be interesting to see how Gill performs after recovering from his neck injury.
After winning the toss, South Africa skipper Markram said that the side is adjusting from Test cricket and ODIs to <a href="https://www.mid-day.com/sports/cricket/article/ind-vs-sa-1st-t20i-suryakumar-yadav-tilak-varma-gautam-gambhir-visit-shri-jagannath-temple-in-odisha-23606949" rel="nofollow">T20I</a>s. He also added that the contest will help the Proteas to test themselves against the "Men in Blue".
"We'll bowl first, expecting the conditions to be tricky. Dew's a factor, and it might get worse later on. We're adjusting quickly from Tests to ODIs to T20Is, it's all about mindset. We're looking to make the most of this series and test ourselves against India. We're hoping for some seam movement early on, and our team is ready to adapt," said Markram.
Meanwhile, Team India captain <a href="https://www.mid-day.com/sports/cricket/article/ind-vs-sa-1st-t20i-team-india-captain-suryakumar-yadav-heaps-praise-on-hardik-pandya-23606862" rel="nofollow">Suryakumar Yadav</a> said that his side was not sure about the decision, considering that the pitch appeared different to the hosts.
The right-hander also stated that his team will be focusing on playing a fearless brand of cricket.
"Losing the toss made me laugh, we were undecided anyway! The pitch looked different today, so it was a guess either way. We're fine batting first, it's a good challenge to put runs on the board. We'll treat the dew as a challenge and find ways to work around it. These next six months are massive for us, and we're focused on playing fearless cricket," said the 35-year-old cricketer.
The five-match T20I contest will also serve as the preparatory series for both teams ahead of the <a href="https://www.mid-day.com/sports/cricket/article/t20-world-cup-2026-salman-ali-agha-hints-at-pakistan-squad-selection-for-the-marquee-event-23606796" rel="nofollow">T20 World Cup 2026</a>.
IND vs SA 1st T20I: Confirmed Playing XI
India: Abhishek Sharma, Shubman Gill, Tilak Varma, Suryakumar Yadav (C), Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Jitesh Sharma, Axar Patel, Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Varun Chakaravarthy.
South Africa: Aiden Markram (C), Quinton de Kock, Tristan Stubbs, Dewald Brevis, David Miller, Donovan Ferreira, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Anrich Nortje, Lutho Sipamla, Lungi Ngidi.

IND vs SA 1st T20I: South Africa skipper Aiden Markram won the toss and elected to bowl first in the series opener against India at Barabati Stadium in Cuttack

IND vs SA 1st T20I: South Africa win toss and opt to bowl against Team India

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Team India's star batsman Shubman Gill and all-rounder Hardik Pandya have returned to the team after missing out on the previous action due to injuries. The five-match T20I contest will also serve as the preparatory series for both teams ahead of the T20 World Cup 2026

IND vs SA 1st T20I: Aiden Markram wins toss; South Africa opt to bowl first

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