INDvsSA: Focus on Indian batsmen in 2nd Test Vs South Africa, Check Predicted XI
Centurion, Jan 12 (Cricketnmore) India will aim to bounce back after their defeat in the opening Test against South Africa when the second match of the starts at the SuperSport Park here on Saturday with the focus on its batsmen.
India's team is full of stroke-makers like Shikhar Dhawan, Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and Hardik Pandya. Their attitude of dominating the bowlers with a flurry of strokes will not work. Instead they must harness the art of controlling the pace quartet. They must curtail their habit of going after the deliveries.
Calls for the inclusion of Ajinkya Rahane, known for his quiet approach, instead of fellow Mumbaikar Rohit Sharma have grown over the few days. It will not be a surprise if one of Dhawan or Rohit sit out, while Karnataka right-hander Lokesh Rahul -- a stroke-maker but with a judicious batting approach -- may find himself in the openers' slot.
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Though the less flamboyant ones, Murali Vijay and Cheteshwar Pujara also failed, they are trusted to in these conditions, especially the dogged Saurashtra right-hander.
If Kohli wins the toss, opting to bowl will be obvious option. Doing so will not only shield the batsmen from the early onslaught of the hosts' pacemen but also allow the visiting bowlers to run into the opposition with full steam.
Seamers Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami and Hardik Pandya, alongwith lone spinner Ravichandran Ashwin bundled out the hosts for 130 in the second innings at Newlands.
South Africa will depend upon Dean Elgar, Hashim Amla, AB de Villiers and Faf du Plessis to score the bulk of runs.
The squads:
India: Murali Vijay, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli (captain), Ajinkya Rahane, Wriddhiman Saha (wicket-keeper), Ravichandran Ashwin, Mohammed Shami, Jasprit Bumrah, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Hardik Pandya, Lokesh Rahul.
South Africa: Faf du Plessis (Captain), Hashim Amla, Quinton de Kock (wicket-keeper), AB de Villiers, Dean Elgar, Keshav Maharaj, Aiden Markram, Morne Morkel, Vernon Philander, Kagiso Rabada.
