Rishabh Pant got the captaincy of Team India due to KL Rahul getting injured a day before the start of the T20 series. But, despite scoring 211 runs in the first match of the series in Delhi, the Indian team lost. Team India's bowling was very poor in this match. Except for Avesh Khan, the rest of the bowlers gave runs at an economy rate of more than 10. Pant, who was captaining Team India for the first time, started with a defeat. In such a situation, they will be expected to perform better than their bowlers in the second T20 to be held in Cuttack on Sunday.

IPL 2022 was also not good for Rishabh Pant. Under Pant's captaincy, Delhi Capitals could not reach the playoffs this season. Pant is seen as the future captain of Team India in white-ball cricket. But, since the IPL, his claim has weakened a bit and during this time Hardik Pandya has emerged rapidly after the success of the IPL. He has been made the vice-captain of the team for the South Africa series. Hardik impressed everyone in IPL not only with the ball and bat but also with his captaincy.

Under the leadership of Pandya, Gujarat Titans won the IPL title in the debut season itself. Since then, he has also been seen as a future captain. In such a situation, when Team India comes to return in the second T20 against South Africa, there will be pressure on Pant somewhere.

Pant was seen under pressure in the first T20

Pant has just started as captain. But, on his debut in captaincy, he appeared under pressure. Questions were also raised on many of his decisions. He bowled only 2 overs in the match to Yuzvendra Chahal, the highest wicket-taker in IPL 2022. In such a situation, he will have to prove himself as a captain in the second T20.

Fast bowling biggest headache for Pant

The biggest headache for Pant in the second T20 will be the bowling department. He will have to choose between Arshdeep Singh or Umran Malik. There is no room for change in batting. The Indian pace battery was completely neutral in the first T20. Senior bowler Bhuvneshwar Kumar looted runs in the death overs. The same was the case with Harshal Patel. Avesh Khan may have given fewer runs. But he could not get the wicket. In such a situation, in the second T20, there is a big challenge in front of Team India regarding fast bowling. If there is a mistake in the second match, then this match slips out of hand, then it will be difficult to return to the series.

Miller-Dussen pair in charge of batting

On the other hand, the way South Africa played in the first T20, it seemed that they were playing at home. African players cashed in on the great form of IPL in the first T20. David Miller had scored 481 runs in IPL at an average of over 68 and was instrumental in making Gujarat the champions. In the first T20, Miller repeated the performance of the IPL and scored a brilliant half-century, and led South Africa to victory.

Rasi van der Dussen also played a good role in him. Quinton de Kock also started well in the first T20. But he could not convert this start into big innings. He will try his best to make up for it in the second T20 to be held in Cuttack.

Norkhia-Rabada will have a big responsibility

At the same time, in the bowling, Enrique Norcia and Kagiso Rabada will have a big responsibility to stop the Indian batsmen. The pair of spinner Keshav Maharaj and Tabrez Shamsi, who looked colorless in the first T20, will also have to perform better.