Ravaged by injuries and player unavailabilities, India will take on South Africa in the first of their two scheduled Test matches in Centurion on December 26, 2023, Boxing Day. Here is how the two sides could line up for the pivotal clash
The One Day International series secured, the India national cricket team will turn their focus next on the two-game Test bout against South Africa on their tour of the country. The Men in Blue have momentum in their stride as they go searching for a historic result, having won three of the five white ball games they have contested the Proteas for so far - a tally that includes one T20 International, too. (Cricket News)
The Indian camp has been ravaged by player unavailabilities ahead of the first Test, with Ishan Kishan, Mohammed Shami, and Ruturaj Gaikwad all ruled out. Virat Kohli, meanwhile, has returned to India to deal with a family emergency but is expected back in South Africa in time for the contest to begin. To deal with the blows, India have called up Abhimanyu Easwaran and KS Bharat to replace Gaikwad and Kishan, respectively, while a replacement for Shami hasn't been roped in.
South Africa, on the other hand, could be without pace bowlers Kagiso Rabada and Lungi Ngidi. Both Rabada and Ngidi are with the South Africa team and a call on their inclusion will be made shortly before the final team selection, as confirmed by the team's Test coach, Shukri Conrad.
“They are both here with us and that means they are available for selection as things stand. We have not called anybody in as a replacement and hopefully come the morning of the match we have 15 fit players to select from," Conrad said.
With that in mind, we take a look at how the two teams could line up for the Boxing Day Test.
Predicted XIs
India XI: Rohit Sharma (c), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (wk), Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, Mohammed Siraj, Jasprit Bumrah (vc), Prasidh Krishna
South Africa XI: Temba Bavuma (c), Tony de Zorzi, Dean Elgar, Aiden Markram, Keegan Petersen, Kyle Verreynne (wk), Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada*, Lungi Ngidi*, Gerald Coetzee
Squads
India’s squad for Tests: Rohit Sharma (C), Shubman Gill, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Abhimanyu Easwaran, KS Bharat (wk), KL Rahul (wk), Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, Mohd. Siraj, Mukesh Kumar, Jasprit Bumrah (VC), Prasidh Krishna.
South Africa Test squad: Temba Bavuma (c), David Bedingham, Nandre Burger, Gerald Coetzee, Tony de Zorzi, Dean Elgar, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Aiden Markram, Wiaan Mulder, Lungi Ngidi, Keegan Petersen, Kagiso Rabada, Tristan Stubbs, Kyle Verreynne (wk).