South Africa will look to win the Test series to avenge their defeat in the ODI series against India. The first test of IND vs SA will begin on Tuesday, December 26 at SuperSport Park in Centurion. Temba Bavuma is the captain of South Africa.
South Africa has not played a match in the ICC World Test Championship 2023-25 cycle. They will face India in their first series of the WTC 2025 cycle. South Africa is a strong team in home Tests and also crushed India during the previous tour. Ahead of the first Test of IND vs SA, we look at the planned game of South Africa 11 against India.
South Africa plays 11 against India: first Test, 2023
Dean Elgar
Dean Elgar will open for South Africa in the first Test against India at SuperSport Park in Centurion. The left-handed batsman showed decent form in the previous Test series against the West Indies in February. He managed 119 runs in 2 games with 1 half century.
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Tony de Zorzi
Tony de Zorzi could be South Africa’s other opener against India. He showed wonderful form in the previous Test series, scoring 114 runs with a maximum of 85 runs. He also scored a century against India in the previous ODI series.
Aiden Markram
Aiden Markram will take the one-down position. The right-handed batsman put up a flawless batting show in the previous Test series. The Proteas white-ball captain scored 276 runs in 2 games of the series, hitting 1 hundred and 1 fifties.
Temba Bavuma (C)
Temba Bavuma is South Africa’s skipper in the IND vs SA Test series and will lead the team in the first Test. He will bat in the middle order. Bavuma was another impressive batsman in the last Test series. The right-handed batsman scored 200 runs in 2 games with 1 century.
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Keegan Petersen
Keegan Petersen could be another batsman in the middle order. He was also part of the previous series where he scored 21 runs in a match. So far, the right-handed batsman has played 11 Tests and scored 596 runs at an average of 29.80.
Kyle Verreynne (WC)
Kyle Verrynne could be South Africa’s goalkeeper. Among the three members, he is the only goalkeeper with Test experience. David Bedingham and Tristan Stubbs have not played a game. In 14 Tests, Verreynne managed 572 runs at an average of 28.60. The right-handed batsman also scored 1 century and 2 half-centuries.
Marco Jansen
Marco Jansen will be an all-rounder for the Proteas against India in the opening Test at Centurion. Jansen played 1 Test in the previous series and picked 3 wickets. He also scored 29 runs with the bat with an unbeaten 23 runs in an innings. Jansen showed excellent form in the ICC ODI World Cup 2023.
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Keshav Maharaj
Keshav Maharaj will be the spinner for South Africa. He picked 3 wickets in 1 game in the last series. Maharaj is a crucial player for the team and also has the ability to bat. This year, the left-arm spinner has only played 2 Tests in which he has 4 wickets.
Geraldine Coetzee
Gerald Coetzee will play an important Test series against India where his prowess in the longest format will be tested. The right-arm pacer had a lot of success on Indian soil during the ICC World Cup 2023. He took 20 wickets to finish as the team’s leading wicket-taker. Coetzee showed wonderful form in the previous Test series, taking 9 scalps in 2 matches.
Kagiso Rabada
Kagiso Rabada will be another pacer for South Africa. He is the team’s most important pacer and will lead the pace attack against India. He was the most successful bowler in the previous Test series with 12 scalps in 2 games.
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Good luck
Lungi Ngidi missed the ODI and T20I series due to injury. However, the South Africa coach said that he will return to the Test series. Ngidi is another experienced pacer. Ngidi has not played any Test this year. However, in the absence of Anrich Nortje, Lgidi will be a crucial part of the eleven.