Bharat Army fans geared up as Team India aim to achieve 13-0 record in T20I series against South Africa

As the dust from the IPL settles down, the focus now shifts to international duties. Team India, oozing with confidence on the back on T20I series wins, face a staunch challenge from South Africa when both sides square off in the five-T20I series that gets underway on Thursday at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi. The hosts, led by interim skipper KL Rahul, will be gunning for history – should the Men in Blue win the opening match, India will create an all-time record of winning 13 matches consecutively. Currently, India hold the 12-0 record with Afghanistan and Romania.

The BCCI selection committee awarded youngsters on the back of impressive performances in the IPL, a place in the squad with the senior given much-needed rest. Umran Malik, Sunrisers Hyderabad's tearaway pacer, Arshdeep Singh, Punjab Kings' crafty medium pacer, are among the exciting inclusions. The team also features gun players like Hardik Pandya, who led Gujarat Titans to a memorable IPL title and Dinesh Karthik, India’s latest specialist finisher, who proved his credentials with RCB in the IPL.

As the stage gets set for an exciting contest, fans from The Bharat Army, Team India’s world-renowned fan club, are eagerly awaiting for history to unravel. “At the moment, Team India is on a rampage. Winning 13 consecutive matches in the most unpredictable format of the game is commendable. More than anything else, it'll be a statement from the Number 1 T20 team that the previous ICC Men’s T20 World Cup was a one-off debacle. We started this winning streak during the T20 World Cup and would like to continue it through the upcoming one in Australia. So, I'm absolutely excited to watch our boys enter the field and dominate yet another T20I series,” said Kunal Samant, member of The Bharat Army.

While some fans are their full faith in the team, some have set high expectations. “With the World Cup in a few months’ time, every game is important to us. Hardik Pandya will be crucial if India wants to win the T20 World Cup in Australia. If Dinesh Karthik can continue where he left off in the IPL, it’ll be a fairy tale comeback story. It’s been over 8 years since India won an ICC tournament. Now is the time that we should look at building a core for the T20 World Cup. One game at a time and I’m sure this team has it in them to go the extra mile and win trophies for India,” explained Rishee Chhabra, another member from The Bharat Army.

However, Rakesh Patel, Founder of the fan club advises the team not to take undue pressure. “I wish Team India all the luck. I promise that there will be millions of Indians cheering for them from their homes. Instead of taking the pressure of making a world record, let's take it as just another game,” he said.