New Delhi: After losing the opening two Tests of the three-match series, India will aim to avoid an embarrassing series whitewash and salvage some pride when they meet a confident South Africa in the third and final Test match which starts at the Wanderers Stadium on Wednesday. The India vs South Africa 3rd Test coverage will be available on Sony Ten 1, Sony Ten 1 HD in English and Sony Ten 3, Sony Ten 3 HD in Hindi. The free online live streaming of the match will be available on SonyLiv. You can follow the live score updates of the match here.
In the first two Test matches, India were outplayed in every department of the game thus suffered the first overseas Test series loss under Virat Kohli. The tour has also ended India’s streak of nine consecutive series’ wins since 2015. But in the upcoming match, India will like to turn the tables and like to finish the series on a positive note.
However, it will not be an easy job for the Indians. With the conditions and pitch favouring the hosts, the visitors may find it tough to survive the full five days. The visitors could witness an archetypal South African wicket — hard and dry with plenty of bounce — which often provides lots of seam movement up front. Spinners could also play an important role on the fourth and fifth days, so the inclusion of a tweaker could be helpful in the second innings.
Talking about the squad then Bhuvneshwar Kumar is set to return to the side, after mysteriously sitting out the previous Test. Jasprit Bumrah, a surprise selection in both the previous Tests, is expected to be left out.
While all five pacers bowled in the nets on Monday, a more certain hint emanated from the fact that four of them — Kumar, Ishant Sharma, Umesh Yadav and Mohammed Shami — batted in pairs and took first-strike on the freshly-rolled practice wickets.
The Indian skipper is expected to make at least one more change though. Since Sunday, when the team regrouped after a three-day mid-tour break, Ajinkya Rahane has batted the longest in nets.
On the other hand, South Africa will depend upon Dean Elgar, Hashim Amla, AB de Villiers and Faf du Plessis to score the bulk of their runs.
Rookie pacers Lungi Ngidi, who was the man of the Match in the last game will be crucial once again along with Vernon Philander, Morne Morkel and Kagiso Rabada. Keshav Maharaj will be the lone spinner for the hosts and may play a crucial role in the second innings.
The squads:
India: Murali Vijay, Shikhar Dhawan, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli (captain), Ajinkya Rahane, Rohit Sharma, Wriddhiman Saha (wicket-keeper), Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohammed Shami, Ishant Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah, Parthiv Patel, Umesh Yadav, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Hardik Pandya, Lokesh Rahul.
South Africa: Faf du Plessis (Captain), Hashim Amla, Temba Bavuma, Theunis de Bruyn, Quinton de Kock (wicket-keeper), AB de Villiers, Dean Elgar, Keshav Maharaj, Aiden Markram, Morne Morkel, Chris Morris, Andile Phehlukwayo, Vernon Philander, Kagiso Rabada. Duanne Olivier, Lungi Ngidi. (With Wires Inputs)