Chakaravarthy, Pandya shine; India extend perfect record: Talking points from T20I series win vs South Africa

New Delhi: Tilak Varma and Hardik Pandya smashed brilliant half-centuries, while spinner Varun Chakravarthy picked up four wickets as India defeated South Africa by 30 runs to clinch the five-match T20I series 3-1 at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Saturday, December 20.

Invited to bat first, the Men in Blue got off to a stunning start as Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson forged a 62-run partnership for the first wicket. Both the openers got a good start but failed to convert it into big knocks.

Suryakumar Yadav's struggle continued with the bat as the Indian captain was dismissed for five runs by Corbin Bosch. But Tilak Varma and Hardik Pandya stitched a crucial 105-run partnership for the fourth wicket. Varma scored 73 runs off 42 balls with the help of 10 boundaries and one maximum, while Pandya smashed 63 runs off 25 balls, hitting five boundaries and as many maximums.

Their partnership helped India score a competitive 231/5 and then restricted the visitors to 201/8. The Proteas were in the match till opener Quinton de Kock and Dewald Brevis were batting in the middle, but the visitors lost the track once the two departed in successive overs. de Kock scored 65 runs off 35 balls, and Brevis amassed 31 runs off 17.

Chakravarthy removed the dangerous Aiden Markram and Donovan Ferreira off consecutive deliveries in the 13th over to reduce the visitors to 135/5 from 118/1 in 10 overs. Apart from de Kock and Brevis, other batters failed to make an impact with the bat as South Africa lost the series 3-1. Here are the four major talking points from the T20I series.

Hardik Pandya has made a brilliant return from the injury, which he suffered during the 2025 Asia Cup. The all-rounder delivered an impressive performance in the T20I series against South Africa, scoring 142 runs in three innings at a strike rate of 186.84. Apart from his batting contributions, the all-rounder also chipped in with the ball and took three wickets.

Varun Chakravarthy has continued his sensational form by delivering standout performances in the T20Is throughout the year. He picked up 10 wickets in four T20I matches against South Africa. His best performance came in the final T20I, where he took four wickets, completely unsettling the opposition batters. Chakravarthy has been brilliant in the middle overs for India, taking wickets at regular intervals while effectively restricting the flow of runs.

Team India’s pacers have been in good touch and delivered strong performances as a unit in the T20I series against South Africa. Arshdeep Singh and Jasprit Bumrah have worked effectively in partnership, while Harshit Rana also made a notable impact and produced a sensational performance in his lone appearance by taking two wickets in Dharamshala. Arshdeep picked up four wickets in the series, and Bumrah claimed three in three matches. The consistent form of India’s fast bowling attack is a big positive and will be crucial for the Men in Blue as they prepare for the T20 World Cup 2026.

India’s T20I captain Suryakumar Yadav has been going through a tough phase with the bat in 2025. He managed to score just 34 runs in four T20I matches against South Africa. He has struggled to score runs consistently since IPL 2025, and his numbers reflect a worrying trend. The captain has recorded the lowest batting average among India’s regular T20I batters in 2025. He has amassed just 239 runs in 21 T20I innings at a strike rate of 120.10 since November 2024, which is a big concern for the Men in Blue leading into the T20 World Cup 2026.