India begin their T20 World Cup preparations with Shubman Gill and Hardik Pandya returning for the five-match series against South Africa in Cuttack. With Suryakumar Yadav’s form under scrutiny and the Samson-Jitesh debate ongoing, India aim to refine combinations before February’s showpiece

Cuttack: The return of Shubman Gill and Hardik Pandya will lend fresh sheen and much-needed completeness to reigning world champions India when they begin their official march towards the home T20 World Cup with the opening match of a five-game series against South Africa here on Tuesday.

This series marks the start of India’s formal build-up to the February showpiece, where they will play 10 T20Is — five against South Africa followed by another five against New Zealand — before opening their title

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