South
India opt to bat against SA in Vizag Test (Toss)
Visakhapatnam, Oct 2. India captain Virat Kohli won the toss and elected to bat in the first Test of the three-match series against South Africa beginning Wednesday at the ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium.
India had already announced their playing XI on Tuesday in which they included Wriddhiman Saha as their wicketkeeper in place of Rishabh Pant.
"(It was) No brainer that we are going to bat. It looks a good wicket. We will like to play well for the first couple of days. The nature of the pitch is that it'll get slower after that," Kohli said after winning the toss.
"It's a great opportunity for Rohit Sharma at the top of the order. He's excited to get the role clarity. It's a new opportunity for him.
"According to me, (Wriddhiman) Saha is the best keeper in the world. We were waiting for the right moment to bring him back.
"They had more experienced players back then. It's going to be a hard grind for sure," he added.
"Our coin toss record in the subcontinent isn't the best. The first innings is going to be very important. We've lost a few Test players, even in the last year or so. It's a fresh start for a lot of new faces. It's a very young group," said Proteas skipper Faf du Plessis.
"These guys will be the next Dale Steyns and the next Hashim Amlas. Good to be at the start of the journey for them, have to try and play a mentorship role to get them through. The dryness of the surface, we've gone in with two seamers, one all-rounder, and three spinners," he added.
Playing XI
India: Rohit Sharma, Mayank Agarwal, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli(c), Ajinkya Rahane, Hanuma Vihari, Wriddhiman Saha(w), Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin, Ishant Sharma, Mohammed Shami
South Africa: Aiden Markram, Dean Elgar, Theunis de Bruyn, Temba Bavuma, Faf du Plessis(c), Quinton de Kock(w), Vernon Philander, Senuran Muthusamy, Keshav Maharaj, Dane Piedt, Kagiso Rabada
Related Cricket News on South
-
Kohli on brink of joining Sachin, Sehwag, Dravid in elite list
Visakhapatnam, Oct 1: India captain Virat Kohli has a chance of joining batting legends Sachin Tendulkar, Virender Sehwag and Rahul Dravid when India begin their three-Test series against South Africa ...
-
We have Maharaj in case of rank turners, says Faf Du Plessis
Visakhapatnam, Oct 1: South African captain Faf du Plessis has indicated that the visitors are also in a position to exploit the conditions if India dish out rank turners during ...
-
Preview: Focus on Saha & Rohit as India aim to start well against South Africa
Visakhapatnam, Oct 1: Team India will aim to begin their home leg of the ICC World Test Championship on a high when they take on South Africa in the first ...
-
Rohit will be given time as Test opener, says Virat Kohli
Visakhapatnam, Oct 1: India captain Virat Kohli said on Tuesday that Rohit Sharma will be given time to grow into his new role as Test opener. Rohit has been a ...
-
Saha over Pant as India name XI for 1st Test against South Africa
Visakhapatnam, Oct 1: India have included Wriddhiman Saha in place of Rishabh Pant as their wicketkeeper for the first Test of the three-match series against South Africa beginning Wednesday at ...
-
IND vs SA: India looking for record 11th straight home Test series win
New Delhi, Sep 30: India take on South Africa in their first Test series at home since they hosted the West Indies in October 2018. The series starts on October ...
-
Third T20 between India and South Africa washed out
Surat, Sep 29: The third women's T20 international between India and South Africa was called off without a ball being bowled due to wet outfield here on Sunday. This is ...
-
Aiden Markram stars for South Africans on Day 2 of tour match
Vizianagaram, Sep 27: Aiden Markram continued his good form with the bat as he scored a century while Temba Bavuma remained unbeaten on 55 as South Africans reached 199/4 after 50 ...
-
India vs South Africa: Aiden Markram looking forward to India challenge
Vijiyanagram, Sep 26: South Africa batsman Aiden Markram believes his team might be carrying "a bit of baggage" from their last trip to India, but they will not harp on ...
-
Corrected a few mistakes we made in 2nd T20I: Quinton De Kock
Bengaluru, Sep 22: South African captain Quinton de Kock was all praise for Beuran Hendricks after the Proteas' nine-wicket win over India in the third T20I. Hendricks was man of the ...
-
3rd T20I: Unchanged India bat first in Bengaluru
Bengaluru, Sep 22: India have elected to bat first at the M. Chinnaswamy stadium here on Sunday in the third and final T20I against South Africa. India lead the three-match series ...
-
IND vs SA: Kohli & boys' security paramount, ACU chief sends out warning
New Delhi, Sep 21: With the first game in Dharamasala on September 15 washed off, the Indian and South Africa team arrived in Mohali on September 16 only to realise ...
-
Preview: India aim to wrap SA T20I series in Bengaluru
Bengaluru, Sep 2: After a commanding performance in Mohali, Team India will aim to seal the three-match series when they enter the M.Chinnaswamy Stadium for the third and final T20I ...
-
Youngsters were under pressure, did well against world-class side: Quinton de Kock
Mohali, Sep 19: South Africa skipper Quinton de Kock heaped praise on his youngsters and backed them to do well in the third match as they lost to India by seven ...
Cricket Special Today
-
- 05 Oct 2024 01:56
-
- 02 Oct 2024 09:13
-
- 13 Sep 2024 12:23
-
- 10 Sep 2024 12:01
-
- 29 Aug 2024 01:18
-
- 06 Aug 2024 11:28