IND vs SA 3rd TEst Live Match Scorecard: Virat Kohli makes a comeback in the third Test at Cape Town. India vs South Africa 3rd Test Live Score: Virat Kohli’s talismanic presence will be the shot in the arm that India would need in their bid to win the historic first-ever away Test series against South Africa but the hosts will also walk in with a spring in their step in the final Test starting today at Cape Town.
Kohli missed the last Test in Johannesburg due to back spasms and if the training session at the Newlands was anything to go by, the skipper is not going to miss the series-finale for anything with the two teams locked at 1-1. The hosts will definitely fancy their chances after a fighting performance drew them level in the second Test.
Playing his 99th Test on what will also be his daughter’s first birthday, the batter in Kohli would like to make it a special one for the ‘Captain’, who has been under tremendous pressure of late.
Squads:
India: Virat Kohli (captain), KL Rahul (vc), Mayank Agarwal, Cheteshwar Pujara, Shreyas Iyer, Rishabh Pant (wk), Ravichandran Ashwin, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj, Ajinkya Rahane, Wriddhiman Saha (wk), Jayant Yadav, Priyank Panchal, Umesh Yadav, Hanuma Vihari, Ishant Sharma.
South Africa: Dean Elgar (captain), Temba Bavuma (vice-captain), Kagiso Rabada, Sarel Erwee, Beuran Hendricks, George Linde, Keshav Maharaj, Lungi Ngidi, Aiden Markram, Wiaan Mulder, Keegan Petersen, Rassie van der Dussen, Kyle Verreynne, Marco Jansen, Glenton Stuurman, Prenelan Subrayen, Sisanda Magala, Ryan Rickelton, Duanne Olivier.
The Indian cricket team members leave the field at the end of the third day of the 2nd cricket test match between South Africa and India at the Wanderers stadium in Johannesburg, South Africa, Wednesday, Jan. 5, 2022. (AP Photo)
If Rahul Dravid were to trade his bat for a pair of boxing gloves, brandish a drooping moustache and grow long sideburns, he would still not acquire the meanness or ruggedness of a pugilist. Or for all his perfectionism, would struggle to slip into his favourite movie character, Gabbar Singh from Sholay. For, there is a deeply entrenched un-erasable image of Dravid as mellowed and measured, dignified and graceful, with the bat as well as words. A good-boy image, as Dravid himself describes. Another fantastic read by Sandip G.
India XI: KL Rahul, Mayank Agarwal, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli(c), Ajinkya Rahane, Rishabh Pant(w), Ravichandran Ashwin, Shardul Thakur, Mohammed Shami, Jasprit Bumrah, Umesh Yadav
South Africa XI: Dean Elgar (c), Aiden Markram, Keegan Petersen, Rassie van der Dussen, Temba Bavuma, Kyle Verreynne(w), Marco Jansen, Kagiso Rabada, Keshav Maharaj, Duanne Olivier, Lungi Ngidi
Virat Kohli comes back in as Hanuma Vihari misses out, while Umesh Yadav replaces Mohammed Siraj. South Africa go in unchanged.
The series-decider in Cape Town is replete with symbols. It’s where, four years ago, Virat Kohli embarked on world conquest; it’s where Jasprit Bumrah made his Test debut four years ago; it’s where India have twice come tantalisingly close to securing their first series win in South Africa. Should they achieve it this time — the only outpost of the cricketing globe they have never conquered — it could end up defining Captain Kohli and his generation. But should they lose, the series could signal the end of an era. Conversely, if South Africa sustain their turnaround after losing the first Test, it could herald a much-needed resurgence. Read