India’s heart was broken in Ahmedabad on November 19. 37 days after the loss to Australia in the World Cup final, Rohit-Kohli is back on the field today. This year’s mission is also very difficult, winning the Test series on South African soil, which India has not been able to do in the last 31 years. That mission begins today with the Boxing Day Test at the Centurion Super Sports Park.
South Africa is the only Test playing country where India is yet to win a series. Indian captains who have won Tests on South African soil since 1992 after returning from a 21-year ban due to apartheid include Mohammad Azharuddin, Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly, Rahul Dravid, Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Virat Kohli. But neither could win a Test series. This is Rohit Sharma’s challenge. Can he regret 31 years! If you can, then the World Cup will bring some comfort to the wounds.
After two successful tours in Australia and England in the 2021-22 season, Virat Kohli went with the highest hopes of winning the Test series in South Africa. India could not win the series despite winning the first test. Kohli stepped down from Test leadership the day after losing that series. India has a chance this time too. This South African team is not very experienced and there are questions about the quality of the top order.
However, there are also questions about India’s batting. Indian team is missing two experienced batsmen like Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane. The duo played a vital role in countering the hosts’ pace attack on the green pitch of South Africa in the previous tours. Now youngsters like Shubman Gill and Yasswi Jaiswal have to take up the challenge of handling the Protea pace. If these youngsters get runs along with Rohit and Kohli, then India will be successful.
India’s pace attack is also a bit weaker than before. Due to injury, Shami, who performed brilliantly in the World Cup, is absent this time. So Bumrah and Siraj have full responsibility on their shoulders. The Proteas pace attack has also changed. However, the main three pacers Kagisu Rabada, Lungi Ngidi and Marco Jansen are here again. Joining them is World Cup star Gerald Coetzee. But the weather can spoil all the plans. Rain is forecast at Centurion for the first two days of the Test. Of course, three days from the result of the bouncy wicket of this field is enough!
