The Test series between South Africa and India has reached an exciting stage, with both teams having won one game each and will be battling out for the decider. The third and final Test of the three-match leg kicks off January 11 in Cape Town.
Indian fans missed the presence of regular captain Virat Kohli, who was ruled out of the second Test in Johannesburg due to a back spasm. The visitors lost the match by 7 wickets as the hosts managed to level the series.
Kohli is expected to play the third and final Test as head coach Rahul Dravid had said that Kohli is most likely to get fit and lead Team India in the Cape Town Test. But what should be the team combination if Kohli comes back in the side? Well, former India captain Sunil Gavaskar has shared his views on the red-hot topic and suggested a couple of changes in the Indian team for the third Test.
Gavaskar felt that middle-order batter Hanuma Vihari would miss out upon Kohli’s arrival. Notably, Vihari played a crucial unbeaten 40 runs knock during India’s second innings, which helped the host go past the 250-run mark.
Another change that Gavaskar reckoned was regarding the fast bowling unit. The Mumbaikar expressed that if pacer Mohammad Siraj stays unfit, then Team India should include either Ishant Sharma or Umesh Yadav.
“Apart from the injury aspect about Siraj, I don’t see any changes in the XI. This was pretty much the same team that won the first Test match. Obviously, when Kohli comes back, Vihari will be the one to miss out. And if Siraj doesn’t recover or the team management doesn’t have enough confidence in him, because in a five-day Test match and on a day he is expected to deliver, but if he isn’t being able to bowl for 15-20 overs owing to the hamstring, then they will have him replace. Whether it will be Umesh Yadav or Ishant Sharma, but that is going to be the only concern as far as the Indian team is concerned,” Gavaskar said on Star Sports.
Gavaskar observed that the senior batting duo of Ajinkya Rahane and Cheteshwar Pujara, who have been facing the heat for their poor show with the bat, performed very well in the second innings of the Johannesburg Test and should be backed considering their experience.
“Already, the team has backed them owing to their experience and what they have done for India in the past. And they did come good. You have these exciting young players waiting in the wings whom we are all wanting to see, but as long as these senior players are playing and playing well and not getting out badly them I think we should stick with them and faith in them,” Gavaskar added.
