Watch: India were 6-2 after two overs, but that did not prevent Tilak Varma from whacking Marco Jansen for six in the third over of the innings.

After the first T20I of the three-match series was washed out, South Africa won the toss in the second, at Gqeberha, and struck twice in the first two overs to reduce India to 6-2. Neither of the two openers, Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shubman Gill, opened their account.

Marco Jansen came to bowl the third over, to Tilak Varma, who had faced seven balls for four until that point. Jansen bowled on the pads, and Tilak flicked the ball over backward square-leg into the stands. It was India’s first boundary of the innings.

Tilak put Jansen away for three fours in the same over. When Lizaad Williams pitched a ball outside the off-stump in the fifth over, Tilak exposed all three stumps to scoop the ball over the wicketkeeper for four. He fell next over, caught at deep third off Gerald Coetzee for a 20-ball 29.

“They’ve [India] lost wickets early but despite that, you can see every batter that has played today has looked to score runs. Tilak Varma was dropped almost twice getting 29 out of 20 … I guess this is really the template that we see with the young Indian batters … That is a call I think that the management and selectors will have to take – Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, slightly old school vs this new generation of T20 batters,” quipped Sanjay Manjrekar on air.

At the time of writing, India were 180-7 from 19.3 overs when rain interrupted play. Suryakumar Yadav (56 off 36) and Rinku Singh (68 not out off 39) both scored half centuries for India.

Watch Tilak Varma loft Marco Jansen for six despite India being 6-2 after two overs:

Some early trouble, but #TilakVarma remains unfazed and flicks one beautifully over the ropes 🤩

Can he consolidate with the skipper for company?

Tune-in to the 2nd #SAvIND T20I
LIVE NOW | Star Sports Network#Cricket pic.twitter.com/JzWqPRo4lz

— Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) December 12, 2023

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