India's probable 15-man squad for Test series against South Africa

The last time when India and South Africa faced each other in the red-ball format was on Indian soil in 2019. In that series, the hosts whitewashed the Proteas by winning all three matches of that Test series. In the series, everyone from the Indian dugout was impeccable and it was a top-notch display of Test cricket by the home side, be it from batting to bowling. As they tour South Africa in the upcoming month, the last time they played on South African soil, they lost the Test series by 1-2. Well, it’s also evident that it would be an uphill task for any country to play a Test match in South Africa. Thanks to its bouncy pitches, which act advantageously for the Proteas. But thanks to some recent performances by India on the foreign soils of Australia and England, heavy expectations are coming up from the Indian dugout. Whatever the result is, it will be a treat to watch both the cricket powerhouses donning the white. Hence, let’s take a look at- India’s predicted 15-man squad for South Africa Tests 1. Rohit Sharma Rohit Sharma. (Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images) Hailed as hitman, Rohit Sharma is one of the most destructive batsmen in the current cricketing world. He has been a reliable asset not only as a captain of the IPL franchise but even as a captain of the national side. But, during the 2019 Test series against South Africa, the cricketing world has witnessed the same swashbuckling side of Rohit Sharma in the red-ball format. Creating a record of making centuries in both the innings and striking a double-century against the Proteas, he was the X-factor for the Indian squad. Thanks to his aggressive performances against the other teams, he can be the crucial game-changer with the bat in the upcoming series. 2. KL Rahul KL Rahul. (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images) KL Rahul has been known for his swashbuckling performances in the white-ball format. He possesses the capability of hitting some power shots. Be it from the IPL to the national team, KL Rahul was the team’s go-to batter for some crucial runs. But before the series against England, his stint with the red-ball format hasn’t been quite appealing. Given the opener responsibility, he couldn’t perform up to the mark and wasn’t crucial enough for the team. But things got changed after his impeccable display of batting on the English soil. He has shown a heroic performance with the bat and led the batting unit of his side. Indeed, he can be a crucial factor for the team. But injuries shouldn’t be hindering him as he has got ruled out in the ongoing Test series against New Zealand. 3. Cheteshwar Pujara Cheteshwar Pujara. (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images) After the retirement of the legendary Rahul Dravid, a.k.a. the wall, Cheteshwar Pujara showed complete justice to fill the spot of Rahul Dravid in the Indian squad. Pujara is a pure-class Test cricketer known for his steady batting and making crucial runs for the team. He has struck some crucial centuries too on the Proteas turf. So, he can be a player whose experience in Test cricket would be pivotal for the whole team. But in the recent matches, Pujara wasn’t up to the mark and wasn’t valuable with his runs for the team. So, the upcoming series against New Zealand and South Africa would decide his future with the national side, as several other reliable batting options are waiting to fill the No.3 spot. 4. Ajinkya Rahane Ajinkya Rahane. (Photo by Gareth Copley/Getty Images) The captain who has led the team to the 2020-21 Border Gavaskar Trophy, Ajinkya Rahane, has always been a valuable contributor to the Indian cricket team. Not only as a reliable batter but also as a reliable captain. As his batting record suggests, he was the highest run-scorer for the team in the recently concluded World Test Championship. He has made 1095 runs with a commendable average of 43.8. He also sets an example of being a pure-class Test cricketer. His batting skills have been reliable in every condition of the pitch or the country. So, his ability to obtain crucial runs for the team. An amalgamation of skills and experience would be a check out in the upcoming series against the Proteas. 5. Virat Kohli Virat Kohli. (Photo by PAUL ELLIS/AFP via Getty Images) The former World No.1 Test batter Virat Kohli is probably one of the best batters the cricketing world has ever encountered. Though he might not have a good time with the bat, we cannot forget his dedication to the national team. Be it his impeccable innings or captaincy, he has always been a valuable asset for the Indian Cricket team. Though he might not have shone his captaincy stint with an ICC trophy, his records for the team are just impeccable. From winning a Test series in the Aussies soil (2018) to taking the lead against England on their home turf (India leads 2-1), his records in the foreign soil have always been a highlight for the team. So, it’s evident that many have high expectations from him and his team to win the Test series on the Proteas turf. 6. Shubman Gill Shubman Gill. (Photo Source: Getty Images) Known for his swashbuckling display in the 2018 ICC U-19 World Cup, Shubman Gill’s calibre is about how a class white-ball batter is all about in total. He is also a regular run-getter for the Kolkata Knight Riders in the IPL. In the red-ball format, he had made his debut with the bat in the Border Gavaskar trophy. In that series, he made 259 runs in his three-match campaign, with an outstanding average of 51.80. But he had displayed poor performance in the WTC final against New Zealand and got ruled out in the Test series against England due to an injury. Now, Shubman Gill must show his caliber in the ongoing series to seal a permanent spot as a batter on the National side. 7. Rishabh Pant Rishabh Pant. (Photo by Alex Davidson/Getty Images) As his performance suggests, it is not wrong to say that Rishabh Pant is the emerging player in the current cricketing world. His swashbuckling innings and wicket-keepings skills have always been a highlight of his playing style His attacking style of batting has been the highlight of his calibre. Also, he can hit a class and quality bowler for a boundary under pressure. And that’s one of his striking qualities to obtain some crucial runs. And not to mention his humorous banter that gets caught on the stump mic. Rishabh Pant has struck a century in most of the predominant foreign soils like England and Australia. Also, he has made a heroic display of batting in the recent Test series against Australia. As it suggests, many are anticipating some aggressive batting from him on the South African turf. 8. KS Bharat KS Bharat. (Photo Source: BCCI/ Twitter) KS Bharat is a budding wicketkeeper batter to check out for in the future of the Indian cricket team. His skills and talents in the first-class format are praiseworthy. He has made 4283 runs in his 78-match campaign for his state team, Andhra Pradesh. Not only just in the red-ball format, but he also had a great time in the shortest format too. In the recently concluded IPL edition, he has made 191 runs in just eight matches, with a decent average of 38.20. Though he was a part of the main squad in the series against Bangladesh and England, he is still waiting to get a breakthrough into the main playing-XI. Also, with his skillset with the bat and gloves, he can be the best alternative after Rishabh Pant for being a wicket-keeper batsman for the team. And we hope to see him donning the white in the upcoming Test series. 9. Ravichandran Ashwin Ravichandran Ashwin of India celebrates the wicket. (Photo by Alex Davidson/Getty Images) Ravichandran Ashwin is probably the most consistent player in the current Indian squad. Not only he can perplex the batter with his spinning deliveries, but he can also hit some crucial runs off some bowlers. In simple words, he’s one heck of a reliable bowling all-rounder. As his bowling skills say it all, he happens to be the highest wicket-taker in the WTC. In that tournament, he has scalped 71 wickets in just 14 matches. He has never disappointed the team with his performance, which shows his consistent caliber. And indeed, Ravichandran Ashwin can be the X-factor for the Indian side, thanks to his mind-boggling deliveries. 10. Ravindra Jadeja Ravindra Jadeja. (Photo by Nathan Stirk/Getty Images) Ravindra Jadeja is a player that has all the skillsets a pure-class all-rounder requires. He has been top-notch in every department, be it from batting to fielding. Indeed, he is one of the most predominant and promising cricketers a team has ever had. He is a batter who can bowl at any position of the middle-order and can provide some swashbuckling innings. In the WTC, Ravindra has amassed 500 runs in his 11-match campaign, with an average of 50+. Also, he has scalped 29 wickets in total. As the numbers suggest, he will play a pivotal role for the Indian side towards winning the series. 11. Jasprit Bumrah Jasprit Bumrah. (Photo by Adam Davy/PA Images via Getty Images) Just like Ravichandran Ashwin, Jasprit Bumrah is also known for his consistent performance for India. Known for his quality pace and unplayable yorkers, some top-class batters might have had a nightmare after facing his deliveries. Well, it’s not just limited to the white-ball cricket, but his performance in the red-ball format is impeccable. In the WTC, he has scalped 34 wickets in his 10-match campaign with an economy rate of just 2.72. Even in the recent series against England, he has scalped some crucial wickets for the team. Overall, it’s the consistent side of Bumrah that awaits in the upcoming series against South Africa. 12. Mohammed Shami Mohammed Shami. (Photo by GLYN KIRK/AFP via Getty Images) When we talk about Mohammed Shami, it’s all about his 100% performance in any format of the game. Be it from IPL to WTC, his seam and swinging deliveries signifies a player who can show his mettle at any point in time. He happens to be the second-highest wicket-taker for India in the WTC of 2019-21. He has taken a laudable 40 wickets in just 11 matches. His high bounce deliveries can be a beneficial factor for the Indian side, especially on a bouncy South African track that they will play on. Even the last time, when both the teams have met on Indian soil, Mohammed Shami had bowled some class deliveries. He also scalped a fifer in that series. So, fans can have high expectations from his seam bowling in the upcoming series. 13. Mohammed Siraj Mohammed Siraj. (Photo by Philip Brown/Popperfoto/Popperfoto via Getty Images) The quickie-lad from Hyderabad came into the limelight after his heroics against Australia last year. Also, his story from scratch is something to be checked out. His pace and swinging deliveries have been the highlight of his style of play. Also, when it comes to his game in the red-ball format, he has been impeccable with it. In his second Ranji stint, he has scalped 41 wickets in just nine matches. And this made him the highest wicket-taker of that season for the team (Hyderabad). In his nine-match Test career, Siraj has scalped a commendable 30 wickets, with an average of 29.40. He has also scalped one five-wicket haul against Australia. He also showed his absolute bowling skills against England on their turf. So, fans can expect him to go high with the ball in the upcoming series. 14. Ishant Sharma Ishant Sharma. (Photo by Alex Davidson/Getty Images) Ishant Sharma is probably one of the most reliable players for the team, thanks to his seam bowling. His ability of bowling perfect seam and swing deliveries is indeed a hurdle for any batter. Also, with experience in playing on various foreign turfs, he has proved to be a handy player for the whole squad. For instance, he happens to be the highest wicket-taker for India against England. He has scalped a colossal 67 wickets in just 23 matches against the English. When it’s about his records against South Africa, he has scalped 31 wickets in 15 matches, with an economy of 3.03. Even in the previous encounter against South Africa, he was commendable with his wicket-taking ability. Indeed, the tall and swift bowler can be a nightmare for some batters in the upcoming series. 15. Umesh Yadav Umesh Yadav. (Photo by Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images) Though he might not have a good time with the white-ball, his skillset with the red-ball is just wholesome. Umesh Yadav stands out to be those players known to be a consistent contributor to the team. Like Ishant Sharma, his ability to take wickets on any turf has been a plus point for the Indian dugout. He has been beneficial for the team in both home and abroad. Not only known for his perfect seam but also known for giving some effective bouncers too. When it comes to his stint against South Africa, he has scalped 16 wickets in just four matches. He also has an average of 12.12 against the Proteas. So, as the numbers suggest, he can show his wicket-taking ability against the Proteas in the upcoming series.

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