The Indian cricket team will be starting 2018 with a grueling tour to South Africa which will consist of 3 Tests, 6 ODIs, and 3 T20Is to be played from the month of January.
Virat Kohli and his men are enjoying a phenomenal run in the Tests in recent times as they defeated teams like Australia, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka (in Sri Lanka) in 2017. Currently, India is leading 1-0 in the home series against Sri Lanka.
But the no.1 ranked Test squad is scheduled to face some tough challenges when they will lock horns with South Africa in their own den. Indians have never won a Test series against South Africa in South Africa and are considered favorites to do so this time.
Last time when India visited South Africa in 2013, they played two Tests and lost the series 1-0 as they somehow managed to draw the first Test, when South Africa ending Day 5 on 450/7, chasing 458 to win. That time, MS Dhoni was Indian skipper and Zaheer Khan was still playing for India.
However, this time, India will be led by Kohli, who has more aggressive thinking than Dhoni and scored a century and 96 in two innings of that epic Test of 2013. India will also be depending on Cheteshwar Pujara, who has been in extremely good form and Ajinkya Rahane, who has a very good record overseas for India.
Playing on fast pitches will be beneficial for Virat Kohli’s men as they currently possess a very good and in form fast bowling attack. Hence they might be looking to give Jasprit Bumrah his long-awaited Test debut. Though, Virat will need to handle him with care, as he is yet to prove himself with the red cherry. Apart from him, India might also consider taking Kuldeep Yadav along with Ashwin and Jadeja, but his chances are pretty less as India might not play with 2 spinners in any of the Tests in SA.
On the batting front, India will need to find a settle opening combination as there are still doubts of who 2 will open from Dhawan, and Vijay, with Vijay and Dhawan having experience of playing in South Africa previously. Pujara, Kohli, Rahane, Saha are the automatic picks, with Rohit Sharma as a backup batsman.
Hardik Pandya is expected to make into the squad as well so that team will have the quartet of fast bowlers in Test consisting Mohammad Shami, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Ishant Sharma and Umesh Yadav.
Indian selectors might consider taking an extra wicket-keeper as Parthiv Patel to backup Saha, in case of injury to Saha.
Crishots’ Probable India squad for the three-Test series vs SA:
Virat Kohli (c), KL Rahul, Murali Vijay, Shikhar Dhawan, Cheteshwar Pujara, Rohit Sharma, Ajinkya Rahane, Hardik Pandya, Wriddhiman Saha (wk), Parthiv Patel (wk), R Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mohammad Shami, Umesh Yadav, Ishant Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah
