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Cape Town Test: Kohli & co. look to end 25-year drought in South Africa
After rampaging through the home season, India will now aim to continue their winning momentum overseas as well, when they head to the first Test of the three-match series against South Africa here at Newslands on Friday.
Cape Town: After rampaging through the home season, India will now aim to continue their winning momentum overseas as well, when they head to the first Test of the three-match series against South Africa here at Newslands on Friday.
After being rested for the series against Sri Lanka, Virat Kohli will lead the Indian side against South Africa, which will be captained by Faf du Plessis.
India, who have won nine successive Test series to equal the record of Australia and England, will be brimming with confidence and will look to clinch their first Test series win against South Africa.
India have never managed to win a Test series on South African soil for the past 25 years. Their best result came during the 2010-11 series, which India drew 1-1.
It should be noted that India's record in South Africa is woeful, having won just two Tests while losing eight games.
Meanwhile, Kohli's side can also break new records and become the first side in history to get to ten Test series win in a row with a victory over the Proteas.
The opening match will be held in Cape Town - one of the most scenic venues in world cricket - but India's record at this place is nothing to be talked about. India have played four games in this venue, losing two and drawing two.
South Africa, on the other hand, are boosted with the return of speedster Dale Steyn and rejuvenated AB de Villiers and that they will be well prepared to face the challenge of the Indian team, the top-ranked Test side.
However, India could miss the services of all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja due to viral infection, as a result keeping Ravichandran Ashwin as the sole spinner in the squad.
Meanwhile, opener Shikhar Dhawan has recovered fully from a minor ankle injury that he sustained before India's departure for South Africa, and is available for selection.
The two squads are as follows:
Indian squad: Virat Kohli (captain), Murali Vijay, KL Rahul, Shikhar Dhawan, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane (vice-captain), Rohit Sharma, Wriddhiman Saha (wicket-keeper), R Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Parthiv Patel, Hardik Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mohammed Shami, Ishant Sharma, Umesh Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah.(ANI)
South Africa squad: Faf du Plessis (Captain), Hashim Amla, Temba Bavuma, Quinton de Kock, Theunis de Bruyn, AB de Villiers, Dean Elgar, Keshav Maharaj, Aiden Markram, Morne Morkel, Chris Morris, Andile Phehlukwayo, Vernon Philander, Kagiso Rabada, Dale Steyn.
