IND vs SA | Wayne Parnell expecting a strong India comeback in Cuttack T20I: They are a quality side

Waye Parnell, who played his first T20I in close to five years on Thursday in the series opener in New Delhi, expects India to come back strong after suffering a 7-wicket defeat in the first match.

South Africa all-rounder Wayne Parnell reckons that India are a quality side and will bounce back strongly in the crucial second match in Cuttack, after suffering a 7-wicket defeat in the first match. The 32-year-old made a T20 comeback at Kotla after more than five years. He comes into the series rather fresh, having played his last competitive game in March.

''Being part of the national team is always a privilege. Certainly, coming back into this group, it was a different feel to it. It's just nice being here. I think this match is going to be crucial. India will definitely bounce back, they are a quality side. We don't expect anything less," Parnell told reporters ahead of the second T20I.

''I think every single game till Bangalore will be very, very tough. Obviously, it was a great win the other night, we can take a lot of confidence from that, but it's a brand new venue, new conditions, so we need to adapt and start work.'' The last match held here was an ODI back in December 2019 and witnessed a run feast India chasing down West Indies tall total of 316 with eight balls to spare.

On the conditions on offer, Parnell said: ''I think tomorrow it will be the same -- it will be difficult for us as bowlers.

''The conditions here probably favor run-scoring more. It is just about what we are going to get on that particular day. It did swing around a little bit so maybe we can use that to our advantage but it's difficult to assess.

''The side strip was pretty green and with overhead conditions, and swung around a bit. Maybe for the seamers, there will be a little bit with the new ball. But the actual wicket, we have to see how it is on the match day,'' Parnell added.

The majority of South Africa's star players were part of the two-month-long IPL that preceded the ongoing T20 series against India and Proteas seamer Wayne Parnell said it will be a challenge to keep them ''mentally ready'' over the course of the five games.''It's important to get them fresh and ready for the matches, it's been 10-12 weeks in the IPL with a lot of time in the bubble. Getting guys mentally ready is going to be key for us,'' Parnell further said.