We are moments away from the start but before that, the players from both sides make their way out in the middle and line up for their respective national anthems. It will be India's first followed by the national anthem of South Africa.
Shubman Gill is down for a chat. He says that the team got quite a few days to prepare for this game and with the New Year, the team looks forward to doing well. He further says that batting in the South African conditions is more about grit and determination. He concludes that this is a crucial game and the team is well equipped to take on this game and win this game to level the series. On this picturesque venue, he replies that it is a beautiful ground surrounded by mountains on one side and they are looking forward to this game.
PITCH REPORT - Sanjay Manjrekar informs that there is grass inside the cracks. Reckons that the ball might behave as it does when it pitches on a barren patch. Mentions that South Africa is a very unique place to bowl and feels that seamers will continue to get help on every day of the Test.
India's captain Rohit Sharma says that they would have batted first too. He says it looks like a good pitch to bat on and it might get tricky later on. He further says it's important to forget what has happened in the past and do well in the moment. He explains the grey areas that need improvements and pinpoints on scoring good runs with the bat and claiming 20 wickets with the ball which was missing in the previous game. He concludes with the two changes in the team with Ravindra Jadeja replacing Ravichandran Ashwin and Mukesh Kumar coming in for Shardul Thakur.
The captain of South Africa, Dean Elgar says that they will bat first. Adds that the wicket looks a bit interesting and a few cracks on it should help their bowlers later on. Tells that you do not win a two-match series if you don't win the first and they have crossed that hurdle. Says that the scoreboard starts from a zero and they can't wait to start against this Indian team. Informs that Temba Bavuma and Gerald Coetzee are out due to injuries as Lungi Ngidi and Tristan Stubbs replace them with the latter making his debut and Keshav Maharaj also comes in.
India (Playing XI) - Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rohit Sharma (C), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (WK), Ravindra Jadeja (In for Ravichandran Ashwin), Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Mukesh Kumar (In for Shardul Thakur).
South Africa (Playing XI) - Aiden Markram, Dean Elgar (C), Tony de Zorzi, Tristan Stubbs (On Test debut) (In for Temba Bavuma), David Bedingham, Kyle Verreynne (WK), Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj (In for Keegan Petersen), Kagiso Rabada, Nandre Burger, Lungi Ngidi (In for Gerald Coetzee).
TOSS - The flip of the coin lands in the favour of Dean Elgar and South Africa have elected to BAT first.
World's leading allrounder Ravindra Jadeja should walk into the side as a replacement for Shardul Thakur. Jadeja missed the first Test because of a back injury and India missed his services.
He was the first India batter to hit a ton in 2021 (Chennai) and 2023 (Nagpur). If he shows better shot selection than he did and keeps the pull shot in his hotel room closet, may be 2024 can be added to the above list.
Rohit needs to lead from the front
The skipper needs to start with himself. After all the accolades for his turbo starts and leadership in the World Cup, it's now time to shun the hangover of losing the final and take steps towards improving his average of 12.8 in Tests in South Africa.
India's 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
Hello and welcome to the live coverage of the second Test between India and South Africa at Newlands in Cape Town.
English (US) ·