🏏South Africa vs India, 1st Test: SuperSport Park, Centurion 🏏

🏏South Africa vs India, 1st Test: Super Sport Park, Centurion  🏏

Rohit Sharma-led India will take on the Proteas in the two-match Test series at the SuperSport Park Cricket Stadium in Centurion today. Notably, this will be the first time that Indian veterans such as Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and Jasprit Bumrah will represent the Men in Blue after the World Cup final.

Interestingly, the Proteas have not drawn a Test match in their home conditions since 2016, with 24 wins and eight losses in the 32 matches since then.

Rohit, who will face a formidable and fit South African side led by Temba Bavuma, will have the chance to make history by capturing the 'final frontier' after 31 years. 

Successive Indian teams have failed to win a series in the SENA nation, but this Indian side, with a mix of veterans and fresh blood, will fancy their chances.

Many of India's players, especially the batsmen, will be tested in South African conditions, including young batsman Yashasvi Jaiswal, who hasn't been a regular part of the Test side, and players like Shubman Gill and Shreyas Iyer, who have yet to prove their mettle in seaming and swinging conditions outside India.

 India have played eight rubbers in South Africa and lost seven of them. The closest they've come to an exception was in December 2010 and January 2011, when they levelled matters at Kingsmead after South Africa had won in Centurion. A tense draw followed at Newlands. 

Let us watch this test to see our players' performance to regain their  confidence once again. 

the Indian team management will have to make some key decisions for the 1st test match with big-name players such as Mohammed Shami and Ishan Kishan unavailable. 

While Shami has been ruled out of the series with an ankle injury, Ishan Kishan had asked to be released from the series and Ruturaj Gaikwad has been ruled out with a finger injury.

India's batting doesn't seem as threatening as their bowling. Their likely top six average from Virat Kohli's 49.29 to Shubman Gill's 32.20. But the picture changes dramatically, seen through a South Africa lens. Yashasvi Jaiswal, Gill and Shreyas Iyer have yet to play a Test here. 

Rohit Sharma's career average of 46.54 crashes 31.17 points to 15.37 in South Africa. KL Rahul's droops from 33.44 to 25.60. Only Kohli is a better batter in this country than overall - his South Africa average is 51.35, or third on his list after India and Australia.

South Africa:

Kagiso Rabada and Lungi Ngidi are as yet uncertain starters. Former Kolpak player David Bedingham looks set for a debut. Kyle Verreynne, who was dropped for the two home Tests against West Indies in February and March, is back in the mix.

Probable XI: Dean Elgar, Aiden Markram, Tony de Zorzi, Temba Bavuma (capt), David Bedingham, Kyle Verreynne, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Gerald Coetzee, Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi

India:

Abhimanyu Easwaran has replaced Ruturaj Gaikwad, who injured a finger, in the squad. Virat Kohli has returned from a trip back to India to attend to an undisclosed personal emergency. With Mohammed Shami ruled out because of an ankle problem, Prasidh Krishna could earn a debut.

Possible XI: Rohit Sharma (capt), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna

After emerging victorious in the 3-match T20I series, the India cricket team will face hosts South Africa in the 2-match IND vs SA Test series. The Boxing Day Test in Centurion will start on December 26, with Rohit Sharma and Temba Bavuma leading their respective sides. Ahead of the IND vs SA 1st Test, let’s take a detailed look at the SuperSport Park, Centurion pitch report.

SuperSport Park, Centurion Pitch Report: IND vs SA 1st Test

The pitch at SuperSport Park is fast and bouncy and has been labelled as one of the quickest in South Africa. Although the pitch is suited more for bowlers (especially pacers), batters can thrive on it as well. The consistent bounce allows the batter to trust the pitch and play the ball on its merits.

Spinners have never fared well in SuperSport Park, Centurion. Come the IND vs SA 1st Test, we can see the likes of Keshav Maharaj, Ravindra Jadeja, and Ravichandran Ashwin struggle here.

What to expect: Interruptions, what with a chance of rain forecast for the first day and for the second. But we should also see seam, swing and smoke - from the many braai fires.

It's tough to win in South Africa. For India, it gets tougher. Their batters have one of the worst records here, their spinners rarely have any sort of impact in these conditions. 

As a team, they have never won a Test series in South Africa. Since 1996, India have played 23 Tests in South Africa and won only 4 and never more than once in a series. Despite this, they are the third-most successful team in South Africa behind Australia and England. 

That's how tough it is to play South Africa in South Africa. But having said that, India have given South Africa a run for their money pretty much every time they have toured here in the last 10 years or so. 

In fact, the last time India went there, many believed they were the stronger of the two teams. And they did pretty well too but resurgent performances by South Africa in the fourth innings, denied India twice in the series.

But this team is a spirited team and are able to beat any team in the world!

India don't have either Ajinkya Rahane or Cheteshwar Pujara - both dropped. Mohammed Shami is out with an injury and so is Rishabh Pant, who was a prolific run-scorer during India's last tour. But they do have Virat Kohli, who averages more than 50 here. They do have three exciting young batters - Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill and Shreyas Iyer, who will be playing their first Test in South Africa. Jasprit Bumrah is as lethal as he ever was. Mohammed Siraj has his tail up. 

And South Africa? Well, they are still not the same as they once used to be. Captain Temba Bavuma is always under pressure, Dean Elgar will be playing in his farewell series, there are concerns over the fitness of Kagiso Rabada and Lungi Ngidi. Does that mean India once again have a golden opportunity to conquer their toughest summit? Yes, in a way. At least the Indian fans would like to believe it that way.

The South Africans will feel the weight of their own history. They are not as strong as they have been in other home series against India, particularly in a batting unit in which Dean Elgar's average of 37.28 is one of only three of more than 30. Half of India's probable top six average more than 40.

How much Elgar's mind will be focused - or not - by playing his last Test series promises to be key. Also vital, especially on a pitch as pacy as Centurion's, is the fitness of Kagiso Rabada and Lungi Ngidi, who are trying to overcome heel and ankle issues. Rabada, whose 60 caps make him South Africa's most experienced player after Elgar, is particularly important to the cause.

Temba Bavuma and Rohit Sharma will play their first match since their teams' traumatic exit from the World Cup in India last month. Winning this series won't erase that disappointment for these proud captains. Likely nothing will. But losing would come as another crushing blow. Neither of them deserves that pain.

Thanks for the tag 💙.

Hope they pick Ashwin in the playing 11.

Originally posted by: Rosyme

Thanks for the tag 💙.

Hope they pick Ashwin in the playing 11.

If they turn to Thakur than no chance to Ash 

Madhuri

Thanxs for Tag

 Now India were at the wrong end of the result the second time they played in Centurion, which led to captain Virat Kohli being at his fiery best, or worst depending on how you look at it, in the post-match press conference. But they tasted success the last time they played here. India batted first adn KL Rahul scored 123 in a 117-run opening stand with Mayank Agarwal, with the latter scoring 60. Captain Kohli then made 35 while Ajinkya Rahane made 48 as India were all out for 327. 

Lungi Ngidi ended with figures of 6/71 in his 24 overs. The Indian pacers were unleashed after that with Mohammed Shami picking five, Mohammed Siraj taking one while Jasprit Bumrah and Shardul Thakur took two wickets each. India then scored 174 in their second innings and set a target of 305 for South Africa to chase. While captain Elgar scored 77, there was precious little from the others as Bumrah, Shami and Siraj ran through the Proteas lineup. 

Bumrah and Shami picked three wickets each while Siraj got two. Ravichandran Ashwin finished the job by knocking off the last two wickets. Rahul won the player of the match, although there were many who felt that the award should've gone to Shami.