THE FINAL STRETCH

South Africa Series Is India's Last Chance To Address Shortcomings Before The T20 World Cup Next Month

- Prasanth.Menon @timesgroup.com

Thiruvananthapuram: Almost every Indian player had a smile on his face after the Men In Blue wriggled out of the T20I series against the Australians with a 2-1 advantage. The series victory on Sunday was an important one for skipper Rohit Sharma and his men after their premature exit from the Asia Cup earlier this month as it gives them the much-needed fillip going into the T20 World Cup in three weeks' time.

Now, India's preparations for the T20 WC is hitting its final stretch. South Africans have replaced Australians as their rivals for their last three T20 matches before that big tournament Down Under and the two teams will square off in the first of those games at the Greenfield stadium, Thiruvananthapuram, here on Wednesday night.

Much like a trip on Kerala roads these days, India's ride towards the mega event has been a bumpy one.

Despite the series victory, the matches against Australia and their Asia Cup performances earlier, have exposed India's shortcomings. The series against South Africa will give the team management and the players one final opportunity to address those before they board the flight to Australia.