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Former Indian cricketer S.Sreesanth has identified the key player pivotal for India‘s victory in the upcoming two-match Test series against South Africa.
South Africa’s challenge and Team India’s rock-solid determination
Historically, South Africa have never lost a Test series against India at home, and despite India’s close call in 2022, the Proteas secured the series win. As India resumes their campaign in the ongoing ICC World Test Championship (WTC) 2023-25 cycle, beginning on Dec 26, under the leadership of Rohit Sharma, they aim for their maiden red-ball series triumph in South Africa.
S. Sreesanth points out the player holding the key for India
Now speaking to Firstpost, Sreesanth singled out Virat Kohli as the linchpin for India and emphasized Kohli’s pride and determination, predicting his impactful role in the upcoming Test series. Additionally, Sreesanth also highlighted batter-wicketkeeper KL Rahul as another player poised for significant contributions.
“Virat Kohli. Virat loves to keep proving, himself rather than to anybody but to himself. I think he’s that cricketer who plays with that pride and he takes that pride in a very good way, not in an egoistic way. So pride for me, and for Virat also I’m sure it’s like personal responsibility in delivering excellence. So, I will go with Virat and KL Rahul,” Sreesanth said.
This series will also mark the return of Kohli as a player to South Africa after stepping down as captain there in 2022 following the loss of the series by 2-1. However, Kohli’s remarkable Test record in South Africa, boasting 719 runs in seven matches with an average of 51.35, positions him as a key player.
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India’s best chance and World Cup equivalent
According to the former pacer, this series also presents India’s best opportunity to defeat South Africa, and he goes as far as suggesting that winning it would be equivalent to securing a World Cup victory.
“I think this is the best opportunity. Since the time South Africa came back into the international scene, this time we do have a great opportunity and a great chance to win a series there which is like a dream come true. I would love to see India winning the Test series. It will be like winning the World Cup because winning against South Africa in South Africa is not going to be easy but as the ad says, ‘Mazaa ayeega’,” the 40-year-old concluded.
