Overview
- Game one starts tonight at Barabati Stadium on a newly relaid red‑soil pitch expected to offer bounce and runs, with evening dew and a small chance of rain likely to influence the toss.
- Team management will use the five matches to settle the wicketkeeper role between Sanju Samson and Jitesh Sharma, define the No. 4–7 core, and identify a second death seamer alongside Jasprit Bumrah.
- Security has been increased for large crowds in Cuttack, where South Africa have beaten India in both previous T20Is at the venue.
- Aiden Markram leads a Proteas squad boosted by the returns of Anrich Nortje and David Miller, as they seek to improve recent T20I form.
- Jasprit Bumrah needs one wicket to reach 100 in T20Is and become the first Indian with 100 wickets in all three formats, with India entering as top‑ranked and unbeaten in T20I series since 2024.