India vs South Africa Live Cricket Score, 1st Test Day 1: Virat And Team Face Test Of Character

Virat Kohli-led Team India will aim to begin their three-match Test series on a positive note when they take on the formidable South Africa at Newlands, Cape Town on Friday. This series will Test India's class and character on the harder tracks of Cape Town, Centurion and Johannesburg. The Newlands pitch at Cape Town, however, could well be a blessing in disguise for India. While it will be alien from anything they have played on for the last year or so, at least the lack of water, as has been reported in the media, has led to a little less irrigation of the square, and may well provide Virat Kohli and his boys with conditions closest to home. (Live Scorecard)

India's bowling may well depend on how the likes of Mohammad Shami, Ishant Sharma and Bhuvaneswar Kumar do since they are carded to be the ones to make the final XI in the 1st Test. However, the onus, eventually, may still fall on Ravichandran Ashwin to deliver. Especially if India bat first. With Ravindra Jadeja on the doubtful list, Ashwin will have to handle the spin department in a series which could also well make or break for the off-spinner. The batting will also be tested, but none of them is really threatened in terms of being dropped from the team since they all seem to have Kohli's backing. Ashwin, on the other hand, may not necessarily do so.

Live updates and action between India vs South Africa, 1st Test, Day 1, straight from Cape Town

Ironically, it will be the Mumbai duo of Ajinkya Rahane and Rohit Sharma who will in the hot seat if there are any questions about the batting. But that is just for now. Other may join that list as the series progresses. India have a poor record in South Africa as they lost five out of six series and drawn one. Since 1992, India have only won two out of 17 Tests played on South African soil -- in 2006-07 under Rahul Dravid and in 2010-11 under MS Dhoni.