India take on South Africa today

Skipper Suryakumar will be hoping for a strong outing against the Proteas in the 1st T20I

As India firmly embraces a transition phase, a clutch of second-line stars such as Sanju Samson and Abhishek Sharma will be hoping for a breakaway series in the four T20Is against South Africa, starting with the first contest here on Friday.

It is imperative for them to shed the tag of sidekicks and establish themselves as the first-choice players in this format.

The recent home T20I series against Bangladesh was a precursor. Samson received a chance to open consistently against the neighbours, and he made most of it, slamming a 47-ball 111.

In the post-Rohit Sharma era in T20Is, Samson would like to further buttress his claim for a regular opening slot with a few fruitful outings against the Proteas.