South Africa have already sealed their T20 series with India but the two sides have the pleasantries of a final match in Kolkata to fulfil on Thursday.
Sometimes these dead rubbers can be meaningless and the intensity disappears but with the World T20 not too far away and an ODI series between these two beginning on Sunday I sense there will still be a little competitiveness about this one.
India were wretched in the second match in Cuttack on Monday and they will need a significant improvement ahead of this match. I think the sheer nature of their batting collapse means they will make changes with Ajinkya Rahane an obvious man to turn to. Amit Mishra could come in with the ball too.
South Africa have done what they set out to do and this might well give them the opportunity to get some game time into the rest of the players they have brought with them, especially ones who are here for the other formats who are yet to play in the series. The likes of Hashim Amla, Imran Tahir and AB de Villiers could be rested for the cricket to come.
Eden Gardens in Kolkata stages this final match of the series. Amazingly given how iconic a venue it is this is the only time the two sides will do battle on this ground over the 10 weeks South Africa are in the country for.
This will be the second T20 international played on this ground. England beat India by six wickets in the first one four years ago. We’ve seen in the Indian Premier League that this wicket is usually slow but the talk is that the curator has said the wicket will be batsmen friendly. Maybe that will suit India.
I think we will get a reaction from India in this match and if South Africa make changes then you’ve got to think India will get a consolation win but I’m effectively already on India in this match anyway from my series correct score bet before a ball was bowled so I’ve no need to go in again.
I’m not going to go big in this match. I’m not a fan of betting on dead rubbers per se and there are five ODIs coming up to save our money for but there is one I like a small punt on.
Ravi Ashwin was tied as the top India bowler in the opening game and he was the only one to take wickets prior to the crowd disturbance in Cuttack and South Africa were just trying to play him out in that match so there is a good potential for the off spinner to lead India’s bowling here.
He should get some assistance from the wicket but he doesn’t need it because the South Africans have struggled to pick him all series. At 3/1 he looks a fair bet to be the top India bowler again here.
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