India Captain Suryakumar Yadav won the toss and elected to bowl first against South Africa in the second T20I of the five-match series at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium in Mullanpur on December 11, 2025, aiming to capitalize on early swing under lights on a pitch expected to favor batting later. The hosts, leading 1-0 after a dominant 101-run victory in the opener at Cuttack—where they defended 176 and bundled the Proteas for a record-low 74—made a bold selection call by bringing back left-arm spinner Axar Patel in place of leg-spinner Ravi Bishnoi, signaling a tactical shift toward variety in the middle overs. South Africa, desperate to level the series under Aiden Markram, responded with three changes: recalling opener Quinton de Kock for Reeza Hendricks, fast bowler Kwena Maphaka for Nandre Burger, and all-rounder Wiaan Mulder for Donovan Ferreira to bolster their batting depth and pace attack.
The Mullanpur venue, hosting its first men's international match, features a balanced surface with true bounce and short boundaries that could yield high scores, though dew might assist the chasing side in this evening fixture starting at 7:00 p.m. IST. India's unchanged core—featuring the explosive top order of Yashasvi Jaiswal, Abhishek Sharma, and Suryakumar—relies on their all-round firepower, with Hardik Pandya just one wicket shy of becoming the first Indian pace all-rounder to reach 100 T20I wickets alongside 1,000 runs. Pandya's explosive 28-ball 59 in the first game set the tone, but eyes are also on under-fire vice-captain Shubman Gill, who needs a big knock to regain rhythm ahead of the T20 World Cup, and Suryakumar, whose recent form has dipped amid leadership pressures.
South Africa, reeling from their batting collapse in Cuttack—triggered by Arshdeep Singh's fiery spell and Varun Chakaravarthy's spin wizardry—will bank on de Kock's aggressive starts and Markram's composure to post a competitive total. The Proteas' revamped lineup introduces youth with Maphaka's raw pace, but vulnerabilities persist against India's spin duo of Axar and Chakaravarthy, who exploited similar conditions last time. With the series shifting north from Odisha, Mullanpur's chilly December evening (around 7°C at toss) adds an element of unpredictability, potentially aiding seamers early before the batters dominate under floodlights.
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As the action unfolds, India's seamless transition under new coach Gautam Gambhir—marked by this proactive toss decision—contrasts with South Africa's urgency to avoid a 2-0 deficit, setting up a clash that tests resilience in a format where momentum swings rapidly. Live coverage airs on Star Sports channels and streams on JioCinema, with fans buzzing over Yuvraj Singh's presence in the stands, evoking Punjab's cricketing nostalgia.
With Hardik eyeing history and the hosts chasing a series-clinching momentum before the Johannesburg decider, this T20I promises fireworks on a ground christened with international pedigree, underscoring India's T20 supremacy against a Proteas side hungry for redemption.
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