India wrapped up the five-match T20I series against South Africa with a 3–1 victory after one game was abandoned due to fog. The campaign produced a mix of dominating wins, a rare defeat at home, and a washed-out encounter. India’s bowling attack consistently created pressure while the batting lineup produced several match-changing performances, culminating in a clinical triumph in the final game.
Here’s a detailed performance rating for every Indian player who featured in the series, based on contributions across all five matches.
1) Hardik Pandya — ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (Series & Match-Winning Impact)
Hardik was India’s most influential player with the bat. He starred in the first T20I with a pivotal knock of 59* and a wicket that propelled India to a massive win, and he delivered another match-turning performance in the 5th T20I — smashing 63 off 25 balls, the second-fastest half-century by an Indian in T20Is. His aggressive intent and ability to shift momentum made him the standout batter for India this series, while also picking up crucial wickets with his bowling when needed.
Rating: 9.5/10
2) Tilak Varma — ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (Consistency & Big Innings)
Tilak’s series was defined by impact and consistency. He played crucial knocks in India’s big wins and continued his impressive form by scoring 73 off 42 in the final match, anchoring the innings with intent behind explosive hitting. Across the series, he was one of the few batters who consistently scored runs in varying conditions, eventually finishing the series as the leading run-scorers with 187 runs to his name.
Rating: 9/10
3) Sanju Samson — ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (Aggressive Start)
Samson provided India with swift start when used higher up the order in the only T20I he played, in the final game where his 37 off 22 set the tone. While not among the highest totals, his intent and ability to score quickly in the powerplay gave India valuable early momentum.
Rating: 8/10
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4) Abhishek Sharma — ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (Impactful Contributions)
Abhishek had a productive series and was especially influential in the 3rd and 5th T20Is. In the decider, he scored 34 off 21 at a quick pace to bolster India’s top order. He also delivered key runs in the third game, helping India chase comfortably to secure a 2–1 lead.
Rating: 8/10
5) Shubman Gill — ⭐⭐⭐ (Mixed Returns)
Gill began the series as India’s premier opener but faced mixed fortunes. He registered starts in a few games, including an innings in the 3rd T20I (around 28 runs) but couldn’t convert them consistently into big scores. His return from injury showed glimpses of form, yet lacked the big impact expected at the top.
Rating: 6.5/10
6) Suryakumar Yadav — ⭐⭐ (Struggles for Form)
The skipper had a struggling series with the bat. In several matches, including the final game where he managed just 5 runs, Yadav failed to impose his usual authoritative game. Lack of substantial contributions with the bat placed more responsibility on others in the middle order. He finished the series with only 34 runs at 8.50.
Rating: 5/10
7) Shivam Dube — ⭐⭐⭐ (Utility Finisher)
Dube played the role of a lower-order hitter with some success, including a quick cameo in the decider that boosted India’s closing total. While opportunities were limited, his late-innings aggression provided critical momentum when India needed it. In limited role, he scored 32 runs at a strike-rate of 177.77.
Rating: 7/10
8) Jitesh Sharma — ⭐⭐ (Limited Involvement)
Jitesh didn’t have much to show in the series. He got very few deliveries to bat and ended with 37 runs at 168.18. He made some key impact with the gloves, though.
Rating: 6/10
9) Jasprit Bumrah — ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (Leadership in Death Bowling)
Bumrah once again led India’s pace attack, providing crucial breakthroughs and maintaining tight control in pressure situations. In the final game, he dismissed key batters including Quinton de Kock and helped India rein in South Africa’s chase. He was quality with the new ball and at the death across matches. His 4 wickets came at 19.75 runs a piece and at an economy rate of 7.18.
Rating: 8/10
10) Varun Chakravarthy — ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (Player of the Series, Spin Dominance)
Varun’s mystery spin was India’s most potent bowling weapon. He consistently tied down scoring and picked crucial wickets, including a four-wicket haul in the 5th T20I, stifling South African middle orders and turning games India’s way. His control and variation in Indian conditions made him irresistible at times. He picked up 10 wickets at 11.20 runs a piece and an economy rate of 7.46.
Rating: 9.5/10
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11) Arshdeep Singh — ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (Consistent Threat with the New Ball)
Arshdeep swung the new ball effectively and regularly struck early in matches, particularly in the 3rd T20I where India’s bowlers dominated. His variations and pace kept South African batsmen in check and helped India chip away at their top order. He finished the series with five wickets at 25.60 runs a piece.
Rating: 8/10
12) Washington Sundar — ⭐⭐⭐ (Middle-Overs Control)
Washington Sundar played only the final match of the series and bowled quite well with control, finishing with figures of 4-0-30-0 in a high-scoring match.
Rating: 7/10
13) Harshit Rana — ⭐⭐⭐ (Supporting Bowler)
Rana bowled with control and picked up important early strikes in the 3rd T20I, helping India dismantle South Africa’s top order. His role remained that of a secondary pace option but he delivered when called upon. In the only match he played, he registered figures of 4-0-34-2.
Rating: 7/10
14) Axar Patel (Support Roles) — ⭐⭐⭐ (Adequate Support)
India’s fifth-bowling options saw mixed returns but generally kept scoring in check when frontline bowlers rested. Axar played two matches and picked up three wickets at an excellent economy rate of 6.80. With the bat, he was not as much effective as he could manage only 44 runs at a poor strike-rate of 104.76.
15) Kuldeep Yadav (Not enough games) – ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (Wicket-taker)
Kuldeep featured in only one match of this series, which was the third T20I, and he delivered a pretty good performance in that. He bowled two overs, conceded only 12 runs, and picked up two wickets. Had he gotten more opportunities, he could well have more wickets to his name.
Rating: 6.5/10
Series Takeaway:
India’s bowlers, led by Varun Chakravarthy and Jasprit Bumrah, consistently created pressure and struck regularly. In contrast, the batting saw flashes of brilliance — especially from Hardik Pandya and Tilak Varma — offset by inconsistent contributions from senior batters like Suryakumar Yadav. Overall, the team displayed depth and adaptability to clinch the series convincingly.
