SA vs IND | Prasidh To Debut, Gill At 3; Here's India's Likely Playing XI For 1st Test
Prasidh Krishna might make his debut for India in Tests against South Africa (Source: x.com)
After leveling the T20I series and winning the ODIs, Team India now faces South Africa in a two-match Test series. The first encounter is set to be played on Boxing Day, Tuesday, December 26, 2023, at Centurion. The second game will be played on Wednesday at Newlands, Cape Town.
Skipper Rohit Sharma along with other big guns like Virat Kohli and Jasprit Bumrah are back for the visitors while South Africa also welcome Temba Bavuma, Kagiso Rabada, and Lungi Ngidi in their Test setup. The tourists have never won a Test series on South African soil and Rohit and his men will look to finally end this jinx this time around.
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Ahead of this crucial Test series in the Rainbow Nation, let us have a look at India's Probable Playing XI for the first match against South Africa:
Openers: Rohit Sharma and Yashasvi Jaiswal
Regular skipper Rohit Sharma is back in the Whites after missing the T20 and ODI series. The right-handed batter will lead his side from the front by also opening the innings. Rohit has a good average of 42.37 with three centuries against the Proteas in the longest format of the game. He will look to provide his side with a solid start up front. The 36-year-old will be joined by youngster Yashasvi Jaiswal in opening. The 21-year old young man has made a bright start to his Test career with an average of 89 in just three innings which includes one century and one half-century.
Middle-Order: Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, KL Rahul
Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli and KL Rahul will form the middle-order for the Indian side. 24-year old Shubman Gill is approaching 1000 runs in the oldest format of the game. The right-hander has two centuries and four fifties to his name in this format. Gill has become a regular member in the Test setup and he will look to score big runs for his team at crucial no. three position. Experienced campaigner Kohli will take the no. four spot. The veteran averages 49.29 with 29 tons and as many fifties in the Whites. Kohli will again be a vital cog for Team India in this all-important Test series. Wicketkeeper batter KL Rahul will slot in at no. five. Rahul will have fond memories of his 123-run knock against the same opposition at the same venue and in the same Boxing Day Test.
All-rounders: Shreyas Iyer, Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur
Shreyas Iyer, Ravindra Jadeja and Shardul Thakur will be in the lower middle-order for the visitors. Shreyas is averaging 44.40 with one century and five half-centuries in the Test format. The right-handed player will provide support by scoring useful and valuable runs to the other righties above him in the side. All-rounder Ravindra Jadeja will be the lone spinner in the team. Jadeja will look to provide stability in the side with his all-rounder performances with both bat and ball. Shardul Thakur is one of the four fast bowlers for the visitors. Thakur is also a handy batter lower down the order. He can chip in with a quick and aggressive innings.
Bowlers: Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna
Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj and Prasidh Krishna will form the pace attack for Rohit Sharma and his side. Speedster Bumrah has a decent record of an average of 24.38 against the Proteas in the Test format. He will lead this bowling attack and the tourists will rely heavily on him to provide regular breakthroughs. Siraj has also become a permanent member in the Test side because of his consistency and quality seam bowling. The hit-the-deck bowler Prasidh Krishna looks set for a Test debut as he will be the fourth pace option for Rohit in the match.
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