India vs. South Africa, 3rd T20: Date, Time, Live Stream, TV Info, Preview

South Africa have already wrapped up a series victory over hosts India, so the third and final Twenty20 in Kolkata offers the visitors the chance to experiment.

Date: Thursday, October 8

Start time: 7 p.m. local time; 2:30 p.m. BST

Venue: Eden Gardens, Kolkata

Live stream and TV info: Star Sports (India and Bangladesh), SuperSport (South Africa), PTV Sports (Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates)

Weather: AccuWeather.com predicts a cloudy day with a few passing showers. Those showers should be gone by the evening, but it's likely to stay hot and sticky.

Overview

The T20 series between India and South Africa went from thrilling to one-sided with a sprinkling of crowd trouble in a matter days.

That the visitors have beaten India with what is in essence a second-string bowling attack will be of some concern to the hosts. South Africa’s batting was solid in the first T20, and while there were a few blips in the second match, there’s no reason to be too concerned.

With the series all wrapped up, South Africa can use the third and final T20 for a little bit of experimentation.

There are a few players in the squad who have not gotten a run yet. Quinton de Kock is patiently waiting for his return to international cricket following his loss of form against Bangladesh. Eddie Leie, who had a stellar debut on the same tour, is also waiting for a go.

This is the only opportunity South Africa will get to trial their players in Indian conditions ahead of next year’s World T20, which will be played in the same location—a luxury not many teams will have.

For India, finding a way to win will be far more important than squad selection. The one-day series is next, and they will be looking for some momentum heading into the first match.

They also want to avoid the potential embarrassment of a whitewash.

India’s home advantage has often been viewed as a key part of their success, but it clearly hasn't troubled South Africa.

Kolkata has only had one T20 international played on its surface, and that was a low-scoring affair. It has had its fair share of Indian Premier League games, though, with spin often playing a key role. South Africa may be tempted into playing to spinners on this surface to give a few of their quicks a rest.

Key players

India

MS Dhoni needs to find a way to motivate his troops to emerge from this mini-slump. He will need to lead from the front in order to restore some confidence as one of the most experienced T20 players in India's team.

South Africa

Albie Morkel marked his return to international cricket with a man-of-the-match performance. He’s had some great success in the Indian Premier League, so it’s no surprise he’s firing in these conditions.

Squads

India

Ravichandran Ashwin, Shikhar Dhawan, Virat Kohli, Amit Mishra, Ajinkya Rahane, Ambati Rayudu, Rohit Sharma, Sreenath Aravind, Stuart Binny, Harbhajan Singh, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Axar Patel, Suresh Raina, Mohit Sharma, MS Dhoni

South Africa

Faf du Plessis, Khayelihle Zondo, Kyle Abbott, Hashim Amla, Farhaan Behardien, Quinton de Kock, Marchant de Lange, AB de Villiers, Jean-Paul Duminy, Imran Tahir, Eddie Leie, David Miller, Chris Morris, Kagiso Rabada, Albie Morkel