IND vs SA, 4th T20: Will Lucknow Pitch Favor Batsmen or Bowlers? Key Battle Preview

The fourth T20 International between India and South Africa will be played today at Ekana Stadium, Lucknow, with India leading the five-match series 2-1. Riding high on confidence after a commanding win on a fast pitch in Dharamshala, India aims to seal the series at home, while South Africa faces a must-win situation to stay alive.

Pitch Report: Advantage Bowlers?
The Lucknow surface is known for its slow nature and assistance to spinners. The black soil track offers low bounce, making it challenging for batsmen to play freely. Scores around 170 are generally considered competitive. Bowlers who rely on spin, cutters, and slower deliveries tend to dominate here. In the nine T20 matches played at Ekana so far, the team batting first has won five times. Average first-innings score: 151, second-innings score: 126.

India’s Key Weapons
Captain Suryakumar Yadav is expected to use spinners Varun Chakravarthy and Kuldeep Yadav as his primary attacking options. Arshdeep Singh’s swing and the all-round abilities of Hardik Pandya could trouble the South African batting lineup. Early breakthroughs against Aiden Markram and Deevald Brevis will be crucial for India to comfortably lift the trophy.

Predicted Squads for the 4th T20

India: Suryakumar Yadav (C), Shubman Gill, Abhishek Sharma, NT Tilak Varma, Shahbaz Ahmed, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Jitesh Sharma, Varun Chakravarthy, Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Sanju Samson, Harshit Rana, Kuldeep Yadav, Washington Sundar

South Africa: Aiden Markram (C), Quinton de Kock, Reeza Hendricks, Deevald Brevis, David Miller, Tristan Stubbs, Donovan Ferreira, Marco Jansen, Lutho Sipamla, Otniel Bartman, Anrich Nortje, Lungi Ngidi, Corbin Bosch, Keshav Maharaj, George Linde

With India holding the series advantage and a spinner-friendly pitch, the key question remains: will the surface favor the batsmen or give bowlers the upper hand? Today’s contest at Ekana could decide the fate of the series.