2nd Test Live: New Year, new hope as India seek redemption at Newlands

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India vs South Africa Live Score: India were mauled in the first Test

The innings and 32-run capitulation in Centurion, inside two and a half days, deserves a thorough inquest and questions need to be asked about how red-ball-ready this unit was when its players assembled for a two-Test assignment in a country where they have never won a Test series.

IND vs SA Live Score: Will Rohit Sharma draw parallels with MS Dhoni?

South Africa have had an upper hand against India at this venue and Dean Elgar, who would captain South Africa in his last Test appearance wouldn't want that Rohit becomes the second skipper after Mahendra Singh Dhoni to at least draw a Test series in the Rainbow Nation.

India vs South Africa Live Score: India has dismal record at Newlands

With one loss and one draw in three Tests in the new World Test Championship cycle, India would be desperate for a win, which will be easier said than done at the picturesque cricket stadium where the visitors have lost four of their previous six games.

Save KL Rahul in the first innings and Virat Kohli in the second essay, none of the Indian batters could cope with the extra bounce and lateral movement at Centurion.

But with three top-order batters, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill and Shreyas Iyer compounding the team's worries with their ineptitude while dealing with the bouncer barrage, Shardul's presence gives the side an assumption of batting depth on paper.

As harsh as it might sound, no one knows more than Rohit that Prasidh Krishna is pretty undercooked to counter the vagaries of Test cricket and Shardul Thakur's bits and pieces talent will not win him much on most days.

Ravindra Jadeja, India's "Most Valuable Player" across formats, will come back to add the requisite middle-order batting balance and steady overs with the old Kookaburra but it will be the skipper's choice of third and fourth speed merchants that will define the embattled team's response.

Rohit Sharma, the leader, will need to channelise the champion tactician that resides in him as India look to restore parity against South Africa and remain consequential in the World Championship points table when the second Test starts on Wednesday.