India's predicted playing XI for the 3rd T20I vs South Africa ft. Axar Patel & Shubman Gill

India will lock horns with South Africa in the third T20I in Dharamsala on Sunday, December 14. The five-match series is currently tied at 1-1.

The Men in Blue started the rubber with a thumping 101-run win in Cuttack, before the visitors roared back with a 51-run victory in Mullanpur. The defeat wasn't necessarily down to the team combination, though, so India might not want to change too much.

India’s T20I squad for the South Africa series: Suryakumar Yadav (captain), Abhishek Sharma, Shubman Gill (vice-captain), Tilak Varma, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Jitesh Sharma (wk), Varun Chakaravarthy, Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav, Harshit Rana, Sanju Samson (wk), Washington Sundar, Hardik Pandya.

On that note, here is India's predicted playing XI for the third T20I against South Africa.

---

Openers: Shubman Gill and Abhishek Sharma

India v New Zealand: Final - ICC Champions Trophy 2025 - Source: Getty

Shubman Gill's returns have been miserable for a while now in T20I cricket, and India will be seriously weighing up their options at the top of the order. Sanju Samson is the obvious choice to replace him from the current squad, but India might just give Gill another chance.

Abhishek Sharma has endured a couple of low scores in the two matches so far and will want to be back among the runs.

---

Middle Order: Tilak Varma, Suryakumar Yadav (c), Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Jitesh Sharma (wk), Hardik Pandya

Asia Cup Cricket - Source: Getty

India aren't expected to make any changes to their middle order. Washington Sundar remains an option, but how the Men in Blue will field a third spinner without compromising the other departments is still unknown.

Tilak Varma, Suryakumar Yadav and Axar Patel will round off the top five, while Hardik Pandya and Jitesh Sharma will have important roles to play as finishers. Shivam Dube hasn't been in the best of form lately, but he has been used at an unfamiliar role. Dube can technically be replaced by either Sundar or a specialist bowler, but India might wait another game before making that decision.

---

Lower Order: Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Varun Chakaravarthy

India v Pakistan - Asia Cup Final - Source: Getty

Arshdeep Singh and Jasprit Bumrah are expected to make up the pace attack once again, with Varun Chakaravarthy serving as the frontline spinner. Leaving Kuldeep Yadav out isn't ideal, but Dharamsala might not be the ideal venue for his inclusion.