IND vs SA LIVE – India Playing XI Johanesburg Test: India have won the toss and have opted to bat: Virat Kohli is out of 2nd test due to back spasms. Instead KL Rahul is leading India and Hanuma Vihari is drafted in the XI. Follow INDIA vs South Africa LIVE Updates on InsideSport.IN
IND vs SA LIVE: Virat Kohli knocked out by injury, KL Rahul leading India, Hanuma Vihari drafted in PLAYING XI
KL Rahul: Unfortunately Virat has had an upper back spasm and hopefully he’ll recover for the next Test. It is every Indian player’s dream to captain his country. Really honoured and looking forward to this challenge. We have had a few good wins here and hopefully we’ll look to continue that. Hanuma Vihari comes in place of VIrat. Just the one change. It was a good Test at Centurion overall. We really performed well as a team and are really excited about this match.
KL Rahul will be the 34th captain for India in test cricket.
Dean Elgar: (On Kohli missing out It doesn’t really bother me, we have got a Test match to play. Two changes: Kyle Verryenne comes in for QdK and Duanne Olivier for Mulder. Losing Quinny is never ideal. He has been a big player for us. Losing any big player is never ideal. We have a lot of talent in our squad and we need to back them. There were a lot of good things you can speak about at Centurion. You need to be fair to the enviromnent. a lot of positives and good conversations for us to take out of that.
IND vs SA LIVE: Virat Kohli knocked out by injury, KL Rahul leading India, Hanuma Vihari drafted in PLAYING XI
India head coach Rahul Dravid remained tight-lipped on Playing XI ahead of Wanderers Test. But he backed the struggling middle-order– Virat Kohli, Cheteshwar Pujara and Akinkya Rahane– to fire in the upcoming second Test. He also cleared the air on why captain Virat Kohli is not addressing the PC since his explosive press conference ahead of the SA tour. Follow InsideSport.in for more IND vs SA LIVE updates
“Obviously, We would love to have more big scores from the batting lineup. Having said that sometimes in these types of conditions is not always the easiest for all batsmen. It’s not very often for all the batsmen to be able to convert it into a big score. I think we had Rahul being able to convert in that 1st innings and batted really beautifully and batted very well,” Rahul Dravid said at the press conference.
“Everyone looked like they are batting really well at their time at the crease. So, hopefully, this test match or another game will be an opportunity for them to convert their starts,” he added.
He also credited the bowling department to bowl out South Africa below 200 twice to help India lead the series 1-0.
“The bowling department was absolutely phenomenal to get South Africa OUT two times under 200. It was absolutely great effort,” he stated further.
Virat Kohli
Rahul Dravid revealed that Virat Kohli is being saved from PCs ahead of his 100th Test. There’s nothing major about his absence from the Press conference.
“There is no specific reason for that. I don’t decide this but I am told he will be speaking on eve of his 100th Test. Then you can ask all the questions on his 100th Test,” he said.
“I couldn’t speak highly of him the way he is committed to his own preparation. And also with the way he has connected himself with the group on and off the field. Even though he batted and couldn’t convert those starts I really feel there will be a big run of scores once he clicks in,” he further stated.
“In keeping the morale high (in South Africa) it has not been difficult as it has been led the skipper himself. Virat Kohli has been phenomenal over the last 20 days, the way he has trained he has practiced,” Dravid spoke about Kohli’s batting.
Ajinkya Rahane
Rahul Dravid once again backed Ajinkya Rahane after he missed out on converting it big score after a well-made 48.
“You feel like batting well but the big scores doesn’t necessarily come. It happens to everyone. Two, three players are going in that similar phase for the same time. The good point is that they are batting well and getting starts. These guys know how to convert. It’s just a matter of time. They have been batting really well. I think that they are in a very good space as well. So, I am hoping to see some good performances over the next couple of games,” he stressed.
Cheteshwar Pujara
“Someone likes him sets very high standards for himself. Obviously, he has achieved a lot of success in the last ten years that he has played. He knows the kind of success he has had and the kind of performance and scores he had in the past. He would look to replicate that in upcoming matches.”
“It is sometimes tough to bat. But once you get well set, it’s important that one of your top 4 convert it into a big score. We saw the value in KL Rahul’s hundred. When Pujara does well, a lot of times India win those games as we put ourselves in a very good position,” Dravid said.
Weather & Pitch
“Tropical thunderstorms tend to occur on this place. Not really focus too much. The pitch looked good and looks like a typical Wanderers wicket. I think there might be something there for the bowlers. Batting gets a little bit hard towards the very end. Both teams are capable of taking 2-0 wickets. So, there is possibly a result over the course of the next five days,” Dravid told the reporters.
WTC Points
“We got docked one point. It’s disappointing to lose these points as all of these points are really hard. We need to get better. It would be very disappointing to lose because of overrating points, get docked. We are aware that it’s about trying to keep the game moving forward especially when you are playing four-seamers. It does feel hard as a coach (on ICC’s decision),” he said of slow over-rate.
“Sometimes it’s difficult to pinpoint. We had Jasprit Bumrah ruled over an ankle and the physio had get a go and spent a lot of time on that. We had a few issues with ball changes last time. There are small areas where we get a little better,” he added.
India’s record at Wanderers
“For some reason, India loves playing at the Wanderers. I think it’s a quicker pitch but maybe the bounce wouldn’t be as much as Centurion or it’s a strange one. Maybe it’s the familiarity with the city, the ground. Some reasons we’ve always done well. It’s a challenging wicket. We need to play well for the results to go our way.”
He also warned India of Proteas comeback and not to take anything for granted despite being ahead in the series.
“We are going to work hard in the next five days. I expect South Africa to respond and bounce back. We have the capability and confidence but we have to execute the skills over the next 4-5 days,” he signed off.
IND vs SA LIVE: Rahul Dravid remains tight-lipped on Playing XI, backs middle-order to fire in Wanderers Test- Follow LIVE updates
IND vs SA LIVE: Rahul Dravid remains tight-lipped on Playing XI, backs middle-order to fire in Wanderers Test- Follow LIVE updates
- Backs middle-order– Virat Kohli, Cheteshwar Pujara & Ajinkya Rahane at Wanderers
- Lauds bowling department in challenging batting conditions
- Clears air on Virat Kohli, heaps praise on his leadership skills & backs him for brilliant 2022 with the bat
- We need to get better at over-rate
- Expect South Africa to bounce back and we need to execute skills over next five days
- Virat Kohli will attend PC for his 100th Test
- Will India bring in Umesh Yadav in place of Shardul Thakur?
- Will Cheteshwar Pujara get a boot?
- Will Shreyas Iyer or Hanuma Vihari be drafted in XI?
Johannesburg 2nd Test LIVE: After the explosive press conference that took place before the Indian contingent’s departure for South Africa, Virat Kohli has been giving a miss to media appearances. The India skipper won’t be around to address the media on Sunday with Rahul Dravid set to address media at 03:30 PM IST.
After the Centurion triumph, the tourists will be eying to gain an unassailable lead with a win in Johannesburg. Out of the five-Test matches played at the venue, team India has won two while three have ended in a draw.
While there seems no need to change the winning combination, the conditions at Johannesburg can prompt Kohli-Dravid to consider a couple of changes.
Will Ashwin get a chance at Johannesburg? With the Johannesburg pitch likely to assist the seamers more, it has to be seen if team India will go with R Ashwin or not. Ashwin didn’t get much purchase from the Centurion pitch & managed to scalp just two wickets that too on the final day.
The case looks the same for Johannesburg too where Ashwin is unlikely to get any assistance from the pitch.
Also, in their last outing in 2018, when India won the Test by 63 at Johannesburg, India field four frontline seamers and an all-rounder in Hardik Pandya. And, Ashwin’s last outing at Wanderers was wicketless. The off-spinner bowled 42 overs without any wicket in 2013.
Will Umesh Yadav get a go? The Wanderers’ surface can tempt team India to bring Umesh Yadav into the playing XI. The surface still has some grass and someone like Umesh Yadav – who bowls fuller length at the speed of 135+ can exploit the conditions well.
Umesh Yadav’s inclusion will bolster India’s pace attack and Kohli & Co can go full guns blazing with 4 genuine seam pacers.
Pujara – Rahane: IN or OUT? While Rahane did manage 48 in the first innings and followed it with a cameo in the second innings, Cheteshwar Pujara once again failed to impress. The duo has been out of the form for quite some time now and it has to be seen if Kohli-Dravid sticks with the duo or gives Hanuma Vihari or Shreyas Iyer a chance who have been warming the bench?
Also read: IND vs SA Live: Former selector Sarandeep Singh warns Cheteshwar Pujara, ‘score…
IND vs SA LIVE: Rahul Dravid remains tight-lipped on Playing XI, backs middle-order to fire in Wanderers Test- Follow LIVE updates
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