The last time there was a clash between the table toppers, India beat New Zealand quite comfortably. It might not be the same when they meet South Africa at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata, for South Africa looks as good an all-round team as India is.
If anything, the South African batting line-up has been more consistent than the Indian one. Quinton de Kock already has four hundreds under his belt in the tournament and is looking to equal Rohit Sharma’s record of five centuries in one edition of the tournament. How he and Rassie van der Dussen cope up with the Indian new ball attack is going to be the key to the contest as also how Markram and Klaasen deal with the spinners Kuldeep Yadav and Ravindra Jadeja in the middle overs.
Hardik Pandya missing the tournament is a big blow to India because he was a two in one player who lent incredible balance to the team and offered the captain so many options.
