It will also be an opportunity for fans to watch Gayle and Virender Sehwag, two destructive batters who used to dominate the bowlers, destroying the opposition bowling attack once again

"This will be our last series before the World Cup and we`ll be looking to plug any gaps we feel that are there," the skipper explained. "We have guys who have been playing a lot of cricket and I guess we will be managing their intensity," Bavuma said at the pre-match press conference here

The quartet had missed the three-match T20I series against India due to various reasons and their return to the side will add the much-needed firepower ahead of the global showpiece event, of which Australia are the defending reigning champions

Captain Sanju Samson (54 off 68 balls) and and Tilak Varma (50 off 62 balls) also scored half-centuries after India opted to bat but it was Thakur’s blitzkrieg down the order that took the home side to 284 all out in 49.3 overs

Since the Super 4s of the Asia Cup, India have played six T20Is and won three of them while losing three. However, all the three defeats—against Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Australia—have come while defending targets

Men in Blue are nowhere close to their first-choice XI ahead of final series—three T20Is v South Africa—before the World Cup, thanks to Deepak Hooda’s injury, COVID-affected Mohammed Shami and conditioning sessions for Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Hardik Pandya

There was a time when he was getting runs but his power game was not coming at his beck and call. That is starting to happen," Manjrekar said

Harmanpreet Kaur smashed a match-winning 143 not out off 111 deliveries in the second match in Canterbury

The focus will now shift to an identical match-up against the Proteas, the final dress rehearsal for both teams before the T20 World Cup in Australia next month