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India vs South Africa Live Score, 4th T20I: Shubman Gill’s lean run has been a major talking point, but an equally “out of runs” captain Suryakumar Yadav is also under growing scrutiny as India look to strike the right balance and clinch the five-match series against South Africa in the fourth T20I here on Wednesday.
The third match presented an ideal chance for Suryakumar to regain his rhythm during India’s chase of a modest 118-run target. However, the fluency that once propelled him to the top of the world rankings was conspicuously absent. The shots that defined his dominance have yielded inconsistent outcomes of late, and the Dharamsala encounter followed a similar script as he fell attempting his trademark pick-up shot, underlining his ongoing struggles.
Despite the setback, Suryakumar remained resolute in his self-assessment.
“The thing is, I’ve been batting beautifully in the nets. I’m trying everything that’s in my control. When the runs have to come, they’ll definitely come. I’m not out of form, but definitely out of runs,” he said at the post-match presentation after India’s win on Sunday.
The statistics, however, paint a concerning picture. The Indian skipper has been searching for rhythm for more than a year and is averaging under 15 in the format this season. He is yet to register a half-century in 2025, marking the longest such phase of his career, and has crossed the 20-ball mark only twice during this period.
With the T20 World Cup less than two months away, the defending champions would hope their leader and premier batter rediscovers his touch sooner rather than later.
Gill’s struggles have been just as pronounced, if not more. His move to the opening slot appears to have unsettled India’s top order. He replaced a settled Sanju Samson, who was first pushed down the order and eventually dropped despite forming a promising partnership with Abhishek Sharma earlier in the series.
While Gill has excelled in Tests and ODIs, his T20I returns are yet to reflect the same assurance. Although he survived during Sunday’s low-target chase, his scratchy run-a-ball 28 did little to allay concerns with seven matches remaining before the World Cup.
India have added Shahbaz Ahmed to the squad after Axar Patel was ruled out of the series due to illness, a move that could allow Kuldeep Yadav an extended run. Jasprit Bumrah’s availability remains uncertain after missing the previous game for personal reasons. In his absence, Arshdeep Singh returned to form with a player-of-the-match performance, well supported by Harshit Rana in Dharamsala.
South Africa seek consistency
India currently lead the series 2-1, with momentum swinging sharply from game to game. South Africa dominated the opening match as India struggled, but the roles reversed in the second encounter. The Proteas have since suffered two comprehensive defeats and will be keen to win on Wednesday to keep the series alive.
Since the T20 World Cup final last June, South Africa have lost 18 of their 28 T20Is, reflecting a prolonged phase of inconsistency. Still searching for a settled combination, the team management has continued to rotate players, a strategy that has disrupted rhythm and cost results.
Last edition’s runners-up have five matches remaining — two against India and three at home against the West Indies — to finalise their playing XI ahead of their T20 World Cup opener on February 9. Whether they persist with rotation at the expense of results remains to be seen.
India: Suryakumar Yadav (captain), Shubman Gill, Abhishek Sharma, NT Tilak Verma, Shahbaz Ahmed, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Jitesh Sharma (wk), Varun Chakravarthy, Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Sanju Samson (wk), Harshit Rana, Kuldeep Yadav, Washington Sundar.
South Africa: Aiden Markram (captain), Quinton de Kock, Reeza Hendricks, Dewald Brevis, David Miller, Tristan Stubbs, Donovan Ferreira, Marco Jansen, Lutho Sipamla, Ottniel Baartman, Anrich Nortje, Lungi Ngidi, Corbin Bosch, Keshav Maharaj, George Linde.
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