South Africa-India series in the shadow of the IPL auction

The upcoming T20I series between South Africa and India is taking place amidst the hype of the Indian Premier League (IPL) auction, scheduled for November 24 and 25. This series is a crucial opportunity for players from both teams to showcase their skills and secure a lucrative deal in the auction.

Player Retentions and Auction Status

South Africa has retained only Heinrich Klaasen from their squad of 16, with two other players, Mihlali Mpongwana and Andile Simelane, not up for auction. In contrast, 11 of India's 15 players have been retained, with Jitesh Sharma, Arshdeep Singh, Vijaykumar Vyshak, and Avesh Khan available for purchase in the auction.

International Players in the Auction

A total of 1,574 players are up for grabs in the auction, with 1,165 Indians and 409 foreigners from 16 countries. Among the international players, there are 91 South Africans, the highest number besides Indians.

Focus on Individual Performances

With the IPL auction looming, the series will be a test of individual players' skills rather than team performances. The players from both teams will be vying for the attention of franchise owners, with the potential to earn significant amounts of money.

Series Schedule

The series will be played over four games, with the first match scheduled for November 8 at Kingsmead in Durban, and the final match on November 15 at the Wanderers in Johannesburg.

Match Details

• Date: November 8 and 10, 2024
• Time: 6pm and 2pm Local Time (9:30pm and 5:30pm IST)
• Venue: Kingsmead, Durban and St George's Park, Gqeberha

Possible XI for Both Teams

South Africa:

• Reeza Hendricks
• Ryan Rickelton
• Aiden Markram (capt)
• Tristan Stubbs
• Heinrich Klaasen
• David Miller
• Marco Jansen
• Keshav Maharaj
• Gerald Coetzee
• Nqaba Peter
• Ottneil Baartman

India:

• Abhishek Sharma
• Sanju Samson
• Suryakumar Yadav (capt)
• Tilak Varma
• Hardik Pandya
• Rinku Singh
• Axar Patel
• Vijaykumar Vyshak
• Avesh Khan
• Varun Chakaravarthy
• Arshdeep Singh

Quotes from Players

Aiden Markram: "I don't think it's the focus. But we all know, with things like an auction and especially for a big tournament like the IPL, a lot of things can fall into place for players."

Suryakumar Yadav: "The approach will be the same as what we have been doing in the last few years; the brand of cricket we played during the T20 World Cup, also in the last two or three bilateral series and what we played during the IPL."