IND vs SA Test: South Africa play 2nd intra-squad match – South Africa may have had an upper hand against India on home soil but this time, they are underdogs. Virat Kohli’s men have been excellent overseas and at home. With no Test matches in the last six months and domestic cricket curtailed, South Africa have opted to play intra-squad matches to practice for the Test series. But ahead of that, Aiden Markram and skipper Dean Elgar started off in light mood, playing bat tennis to warm up for the match. Follow India vs South Africa Live Updates on InsideSport.IN.
With only a 4-day franchise tournament in six months, Dean Elgar & Co haven’t had the ideal preparations. Furthermore, rain interrupted the India A series and the practice session on Tuesday. Hence, the only way to rely on some quality training before the Boxing Day Test is to play intra-squad matches.
After a match on Monday, Dean Elgar and Aiden Markram began South Africa’s innings in the 2nd intra-squad match. But before they began, they made sure to have some fun.
IND vs SA Test: Aiden Markram & Dean Elgar test their bat-tennis skills before intra-squad match – Follow Live Updates
Before the intra-squad match, Aiden Markram, Rassie van der Dussen and Temba Bavuma put in hard yards in the nets to prepare for the India series.
🇿🇦 Preparations are in full swing in the South Africa camp for the exciting Boxing Day Test against India.#WTC23 | #SAvIND pic.twitter.com/mesw4q7NUd
— ICC (@ICC) December 22, 2021
IND vs SA Test: Aiden Markram & Dean Elgar test their bat-tennis skills before intra-squad match – Follow Live Updates
All three of them have struggled against India. Aiden Markram’s record against India is poor. In five Test matches, he has only scored 184 runs at an average of 18.40 including just one half-century. Rassie van der Dussen has just played once against India while Temba Bavuma has also struggled.
Temba Bavuma has scored only 152 runs in 8 innings against India with an average of just 19.00. Rassie van der Dussen has only played one innings against India but failed to deliver. Skipper Dean Elgar also feels that it will be a difficult task against India, especially against a quality bowler like Jasprit Bumrah.
🗣”Our batters have a big opportunity”
🗞Test captain Dean Elgar looks ahead to the #FreedomTestSeries opener against India
Full article ➡️: https://t.co/Z4Ab0BQmJk#SAvIND #BetwayTestSeries #BePartOfIt pic.twitter.com/4ikLFCRt56
— Cricket South Africa (@OfficialCSA) December 22, 2021
IND vs SA Test: Aiden Markram & Dean Elgar test their bat-tennis skills before intra-squad match – Follow Live Updates
“He (Bumrah) is a world class bowler. If there is one bowler who can exploit South African conditions pretty well, it would be him. But again, we don’t focus on one guy. India as a whole is a pretty, pretty good side,” declared wary Elgar.
It is the bowlers who have done well against India. Kagiso Rabada has bagged 24 wickets against India while Lungi Ngidi has bagged nine wickets in three matches while Duanne Olivier has been in fine form in domestic red-ball cricket. In the 4-day franchise cricket, he was the top wicket-taker with 28 scalps.
Hence, Elgar refused to be called underdogs. Instead, he believes South African pacers will be best placed to take advantage of the home conditions.
“India has been an immensely improved bowling line up especially playing away from home as well. We’re very mindful of what we’re going to be up against. Being in South Africa I would like to think we’re a lot more accustomed to our home conditions. So I rather be sitting here knowing that than possibly sitting in the Indian dressing room knowing that they have to face our bowlers,” Elgar said.
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