🏏South Africa tour of India 2025: India vs SA - 4th T20I, Lucknow🏏

🏏India vs S Africa, 4th T20I: B R A B V Ekana Cricket Stadium, Lucknow🏏

If India wins in Lucknow on today, it will mark their 14th consecutive T20I series triumph. A defeat for South Africa would take their record to 19 losses in 29 games. Framing the contest as a head-to-head between the finalists of the last T20 World Cup might feel somewhat underwhelming in that context.

The fortunes in the shortest format of the two sides since that mega tournament have headed in opposite directions.

But that's not to say that there is as much of a disparity in the individual talent the two sides possess as the eventual results of their last year and a half in the format suggest.

Even as the visitors have been outplayed in two of the three games so far, the series is far from over. They have the opportunity to take the series to the decider, and propel them with much-needed confidence in their lead up to the 2026 T20 World Cup.

More critically, though, the bigger result of the contest may not be as much of importance for either teams as would be the finer concerns within their respective build-up plans. Small, but plenty.

As the north Indian caravan continues, the conditions are unlikely to be too different from the last few games. The chill and fog in the air is going to be familiar, and so will be a bit of dew and early assistance for pacers. Abhishek Sharma had suggested that such conditions could be expected when the next World Cup comes around, and victory or defeat, there could be no better preparation to fine tune the last bits of their respective concerns.

When: Wednesday, December 17, 2025, 7:00 PM IST

Where: BRSABV Ekana Cricket Stadium, Lucknow

What to expect: The evening is expected to be chilly and foggy. Dew may come into play quite early in the contest. However, the recent T20 games at the venue have produced middling totals, with some early movement to support the pacers but not much assistance for the spinners.

Team News:

India: Axar Patel has been ruled out of the series, and Shahbaz Ahmed has been included as his replacement. There is no official word from BCCI on Jasprit Bumrah's availability but Shivam Dube said, he 'thinks' that Bumrah is available for the 4th T20I.

Probable XI: Abhishek Sharma, Shubman Gill, Tilak Varma, Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Jitesh Sharma, Harshit Rana/ Washington Sundar, Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Varun Chakaravarthy

South Africa: Following another batting collapse, South Africa would look to continue with its rotation of players.

Probable XI: Quinton de Kock, Aiden Markram, Tristan Stubbs, Dewald Brevis, David Miller, Donovan Ferreira, George Linde, Marco Jansen, Corbin Bosch, Anrich Nortje, Ottneil Baartman

Did you know?

- Abhishek Sharma is 47 runs away from surpassing Virat Kohli's 2016 record of 1614 runs - the most by an Indian batter in a calendar year in T20 cricket

- India have bowled out their opponents 15 times in 33 innings since July 2024 - the most by a team in this period

- India have won seven of the eight completed T20Is featuring the spin duo of Kuldeep Yadav and Varun Chakaravarthy in 2025

What they said:

"There's a lot of competition as well, which creates opportunity and also creates a little bit of pressure for guys in the team, which is good. It's what you want. That's something that's built up over the last year or two and it just puts guys under pressure, and a lot of guys have to fight for a spot, which is great." - Anrich Nortje, South Africa pacer.

"He is a fighter. Whether he is scoring runs or not, he remains the same. He always wants to do something for the team. He is an innovative and threatening player." -Shivam Dube, India all-rounder, on captain Suryakumar Yadav.

The hosts lead 2-1, but a defeat will take the five-match series to the decider. India will look to avoid and winning this series will be a huge boost to their confidence, considered the 2-0 defeat in the Test series.

India will be aiming to seal a series-clinching victory in Lucknow on Wednesday, when they take on South Africa in the 4th T20I. It will be India's 14th consecutive T20I series victory. However, considering how the five-match series has unfolded, it can't be taken for granted that India will win the 4th T20I with certainty. South Africa showcased their skills in the second fixture to level the series. Then the hosts got a convincing win in the third T20I to take a 2-1 lead.

The Proteas have the chance to take this series to a decider. Winning a series 4-1 will be a big boost for India's confidence, especially after losing the Tests 2-0. Jasprit Bumrah missed the last fixture due to personal reasons, and on Tuesday, Shivam Dube revealed that the pacer is back in the squad, but didn't confirm his selection. Meanwhile, unwell Axar Patel has been ruled out of the game.

What can we expect tonight?

India vs South Africa Live Updates, 4th T20, IND vs SA: It will be chilly in the evening in Lucknow. Toss is at 6:30 PM and first innings begins at 7:00 PM. Dew will be key in the first phase of the contest. The pitch has given early moment to pacers in the past but hasn't helped spinners much!

Is Bumrah back?

India vs South Africa Live Updates, 4th T20, IND vs SA: Dube said on Tuesday that Bumrah is available, but failed to confirm his participation in the 4th T20I. Meanwhile, Axar has been ruled out of the series.

Abhishek Sharma's vote of confidence for Suryakumar Yadav and Shubman Gill

India’s captain and vice-captain are just not hitting the highs that they are known to be capable of. There are more questions around Gill than SKY at the moment because the latter had already established himself as one of India’s finest exponents of T20 batting in internationals before his downturn started late last year. Gill, however, hasn’t quite shown the consistency he sustains in the IPL at the international stage. However, his opening partner and childhood friend Abhishek Sharma feels that both players have a lot to give to the Indian cause in T20 cricket.

“Trust me, Suryakumar and Shubman will win matches for India in the World Cup, and in the matches before that as well. I’ve played with them for so long, especially with Shubman. I know where Shubman can excel, in what conditions, irrespective of the opponent. I have full trust in him. Very soon, everyone else will gain that trust in him too,” said Abhishek on Sunday, after his rapid 18-ball 35

Captain Suryakumar Yadav and his deputy, Shubman Gill, are in a diabolical rut. The senior has not strummed his blade with sustained quality for nearly the entire year. Meanwhile, the under-fire vice-captain, has not lasted long enough to relay the niceties of his IPL template and provide context to India’s sudden anchor-accumulator fallback at the top.

Even a tepid 118-run chase up in Dharamsala could not help the leadership group catch a break. Instead, it was up to the format’s new batting maverick, Abhishek Sharma, to repose faith in Suryakumar and Gill’s match-winning abilities before the T20 World Cup defence begins in Mumbai, in 50 days.