Vizag: Team India will start their home season
of the World Test Championship with the series against South Africa and are
firm favourites to win the 3-Test match series. If India win, this will be its
11th consecutive Test series win at home, the most by any side.
India will
be eyeing record 11 straight home Test series win when they take on South
Africa, having beaten them 3-0 at home four years ago. Though Kohli and his men
sits atop of the Test Rankings, yet the Kohli-led side will be itching to take
away those 120 points at stake in the World Test Championship.
Reason's to watch the Test series:
1. Resurrection of Rohit Sharma's Test career:
Will this move prove to be the greatest turnaround in Rohit Sharma's Test career? Rohit will be itching to grab the opener’s slot in the longest format of the game and cement his place the top of the order like he did in the limited overs format.
Since Rohit started opening in white ball he has been a different batsman all together. Rohit has been in fine form in white-ball cricket this year, he was the top run-getter in the recent World Cup with record breaking five hundreds.
The Mumbai batsman will hope to reign in on his instincts and cut down on the risky shots which has led to him getting dismissed after promising starts in red-ball cricket in the past.
It won't be a cake walk for Rohit with the likes of Kagiso Rabada, Vernon Philander, Lungi Ngidi being a potent bowling attack. If Rohit Sharma makes the most of this opportunity, it will be a sight to see for cricket fans. A prolific white ball opener piling runs in red ball cricket.
2. Aiden Markram in top form:
Aiden Markram will be playing his first test match on Indian soil. Markram has experienced similar conditions before, and struggled in Sri Lanka. Indeed, he hasn't enjoyed himself much on previous trips to the subcontinent.
South Africa's two-Test series in Sri Lanka last year is the only one in which he's failed to go past fifty even once, being dismissed four times in four innings by Rangana Herath.
But Aiden Markram has been in top form recently, Markram smashed 161 against India A at Mysore, defying Kuldeep Yadav and a spin-heavy attack, and followed that up with another ton against an Indian Board President's XI at Vizianagaram last week. Back to back hundreds on the Indian soil may have further boost his confidence to do well in this Test series. He will be the player to watch out for as far as the Proteas are concerned.
3. Eyes on India's wicketkeepers:
The pressure on Pant is increasing with time, while the patience is running out. Pant's inability to perform in limited-overs cricket has been reflected over the stability of his Test spot, with many believing he's crossing the line between careless and fearless brand of batting.
The pressure to perform in Test cricket is evident too, partially because Saha didn't do much wrong before being injured last year. Saha's injury allowed Pant to seal his spot with centuries in England and Australia.
Pant didn't perform to his potential in West Indies, scoring 24, 7 and 27 in three innings. A half-century there would have been enough to silence critics, Since his failures in limited overs has reflected on his test form as well.
The eye's will be on Rishabh Pant, If Pant fails Saha may be included in the mix and will degrade the confidence of Rishabh Pant.
4. Spin friendly wickets or Rank turners:
Since Jasprit Bumrah has been ruled out of the test series with a stress facture in the back, it will be interesting to see the wickets that will be offered in the Test matches.
Bumrah's absence will have a big effect on how the pitches will be prepared. With Bumrah's absence it is anticipated that India might go in will spin friendly wickets. There may be some purchase for the seamers early on with some rain and cloud covering as its late monsoon season in India. But spinners are expected to dominate the series with the likes of R. Ashwin, R. Jadeja and Kuldeep Yadav.
The scenario might have been different if Bumrah was playing with some assistance to pace and bounce for the seamers. As we have seen team India with their new Bowling attack proving to be potent threat for oppositions irrespective of where they play.
Probable Playing XI:
Rohit Sharma, Mayank Agarwal, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli (c), Ajinkya Rahane, Hanuma Vihari, Rishabh Pant (wk), Ravindra Jadeja, R Ashwin, Ishant Sharma, Mohammed Shami.
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