5th Ind vs SA T 20 Match: Team India’s stalwarts will enter Ahmedabad with the intention of winning, Shubman Gill will find form.

Ahmedabad:The T20 International series being played between India and South Africa has reached its decisive point. The fifth and last T20 match to be held at Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Friday has special importance for India. The hosts would like to end a difficult and tumultuous season on a positive note at home by winning the series 3-1.

The year has been challenging for Indian cricket

This year has not been easy for Indian cricket. It started with the defeat of the Test series in Australia, after which Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli surprised everyone by retiring from Test cricket. After this, it had to face a clean sweep in the Test series against South Africa at home and then lost the ODI series in Australia by 1-2. Amidst all these setbacks, the T20 team has provided relief and in this format India has not lost any series so far in 2025.

India’s strong comeback in T20

After losing the Test series 0-2, India made a spectacular comeback and won the ODI series 2-1. After this, Team India took an unassailable lead of 2-1 in the T20 series also. The fourth T20 to be played in Lucknow was abandoned without a ball being bowled due to dense fog, taking India’s home unbeaten streak in T20 to 14 matches. South Africa can now draw the series only by winning the last match.

Weather and pitch conditions

After facing the weather in Lucknow, both the teams have reached Ahmedabad, where the weather is not likely to become a hindrance in the game. The pitch of Narendra Modi Stadium is generally considered favorable for batsmen. Fast bowlers may get some help in the initial overs, while the effect of dew may be visible later. Overall, a high-scoring and exciting match is expected here.

Indian team’s concerns

It is a matter of relief for head coach Gautam Gambhir that the series will not be lost, but questions remain regarding the team combination and form. Captain Suryakumar Yadav has been struggling to score runs for a long time. He has not been able to leave any special impact in 20 T20 matches this year. Meanwhile, vice-captain Shubhman Gill is suffering from a leg injury and his performance is doubtful. If Gill is out then Sanju Samson may get a chance in the top order.

Axar Patel is unavailable due to illness, while Jasprit Bumrah is set to return after personal reasons. His presence will strengthen the fast bowling attack, in which Arshdeep Singh and Harshit Rana have already made an impact.

South Africa eyes series draw

This tour has been full of ups and downs for South Africa. Their batting has not been in consistent rhythm, although Lungi Ngidi and Otniel Bartman have performed well in bowling. Winning the last T20 and drawing the series would be a respectable result for the visiting team. They will expect better performance from players like Marco Jansen and David Miller.

Exciting competition expected

The flat pitch and clear weather of Ahmedabad will give both the teams a chance to play freely. While India would like to boost confidence by winning the series, South Africa will have the last chance to equalize. In such a situation, this match can prove to be the most interesting match of the series.