IPL 2022: Could these five make it India vs South Africa T20Is?

The halfway stage of IPL 2022 is firmly behind us, and with the announcement of five T20Is between India and South Africa soon after the tournament finishes, there will be speculation over the makeup of the home team’s squad for that series.

India’s previous T20I squad for the home series in February versus Sri Lanka featured Avesh Khan, Deepak Hooda, Venkatesh Iyer, Harshal Patel, Ravi Bishnoi and Sanju Samson with Deepak Chahar, Ruturaj Gaikwad and Suryakumar Yadav each injured. Given the loss of form of players such as Ishan Kishan and Venkatesh Iyer, the return of Hardik Pandya from injury and KL Rahul from a break and the possibility of the out-of-form pair of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli being rested, there are inevitable changes on the cards for when the BCCI selectors meet to pick India’s T20I squad for the series with South Africa in June.

Here is a look at some of the leading contenders for spots in India’s T20I squad, based on current IPL form.

Hardik Pandya

Not having featured for India since their sorry performance at last year’s T20 World Cup, the allrounder has been the driving force behind IPL debutants Gujarat Titans’ stunning run so far. Taking wickets upfront and at the backend of innings, clocking over 140kph, scoring runs as anchor and aggressor, nailing direct hits and taking catches, Pandya has been irresistible to watch in IPL 2022.

Not deemed fit to play as an allrounder for India’s home T20I series versus New Zealand last November, Pandya then opted out of the Ranji Trophy. Named captain of Gujarat for Rs 15 crore, he has performed impressively as an allrounder which shows that he is ready to return to India’s T20I squad. He has not bowled in Gujarat’s last three games on account of a groin niggle, but Pandya says he can do so if the team requires.

His 308 runs at an average of 51.33 and strike-rate of 135.68 are the third best in the tournament.

T Natarajan

The 31-year-old left-arm pacer is currently third on the IPL 2022 wickets’ table with 17 from nine games for Sunrisers Hyderabad. Having last played for India in 2021 on account of COVID and injury, has slotted back into competitive cricket terrifically and is indeed making up for lost time. Natarajan’s form aside, India’s need for a left-arm quick could see him fast-tracked back into their T20I squad.

His pace has been good during IPL 2022 and his ability to consistently bowl yorkers and clever change-ups have helped SRH come back from two successive losses to win five in a row. Do not be surprised if Natarajan returns to face South Africa.

Umran Malik

India’s first five bowlers for T20Is should be Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav and one of Bhuvneshwar Kumar and T Natarajan. Throw in Pandya as the sixth option, and there is variety.

But a shot of pace is required, keeping in mind the T20 World Cup in Australia, and the young man making all the right noises is SRH’s Umran Malik. Having brought his economy rate down from 15 to 8.44 over a series of impressive performances, Malik’s ability to hustle with pace – he clocked 152kph during his team’s fourth successive win – and take wickets is promising. Against Punjab Kings, Malik finished with a triple-wicket maiden 20th over and figures of 4/28, and backed that up by taking all five Gujarat Titans wickets to fall in a narrow defeat. The story of IPL 2022 so far, from an Indian cricket context.

Rahul Tewatia

He’s stopped bowling his variety of legspin, but Rahul Tewatia is the finisher of the IPL 2022. Of the five matches that Gujarat have won chasing, Tewatia has been not out. Sample his scores in these frenetic results: 40* off 24 balls, 13* off three, 40* off 21 and 43* from 25.

To consistently stay until the end of chases, or to walk out like he did versus Punjab Kings and club the last two balls of the match for six, shows just how hard Tewatia has worked on honing a specific set of skills. If he keeps up this form, all the while displaying terrific hitting range, Tewatia could be bolter for India’s next T20I squad.

Prithvi Shaw

With Rahul away for his sister’s wedding when India last played T20Is, Ruturaj was included as India’s third opener. He played one match versus West Indies, scoring 4, and then injured himself. His return to cricket for Chennai Super Kings has not been all that great (barring a superb 99 versus SRH on Sunday) and the form of Prithvi Shaw for Delhi Capitals has shifted the focus somewhat.

Shaw has so far stacked up 259 runs with a strike-rate of 159.87 when opening for Delhi and has consistently led fifty-plus stands. Given how poorly Ishan has fared for Mumbai Indians, and now Ruturaj’s inconsistent form, it is not unforeseeable that the BCCI selectors look elsewhere for a third opener. Shaw’s last T20I for India was in mid-2021.