India's predicted playing XI for the 1st IND vs SA Test
We have had all the off-field drama possible in Indian cricket over the last four weeks. Now it's time for some on-field theatricals as Virat Kohli's men gear up for their "final frontier" - a three-Test series against Dean Elgar's Proteas in South Africa. The first encounter begins on Sunday at SuperSport Park in Centurion.
On the line is the image of an Indian captain at odds with an all-powerful board, as he tries to regain the form that kept him almost untouchable for years. On the line is the image of a South African captain who, despite carrying a bruised team himself, has steelily thrown the gauntlet to "the best side in the world". And then on the line are - perhaps the least important - 36 World Test Championship points.
South Africa's record in Centurion is the most formidable among the three grounds where India's caravan will travel. The visitors, despite their unprecedented success overseas, tend to struggle the most in the first matches for good measure. Like in the past, this three-Test might be decided in the first match as well.
India can't afford to play anything but their best 11. Here's a look at what that could be and why.
India’s Test squad for the 1st Test vs South Africa: KL Rahul (vc), Mayank Agarwal, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli(c), Shreyas Iyer, Rishabh Pant(wk), Ravichandran Ashwin, Shardul Thakur, Mohammed Shami, Jasprit Bumrah, Ishant Sharma, Mohammed Siraj, Umesh Yadav, Ajinkya Rahane, Wriddhiman Saha(wk), Jayant Yadav, Hanuma Vihari, Priyank Panchal
India's openers: KL Rahul, Mayank Agarwal
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Injuries to Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill made it one headache less for the Indian team management. In all likelihood, vice-captain KL Rahul will team up with his long-time friend Mayank Agarwal at the top of the order for the first Test.
While both will have tremendous responsibility upon their shoulders to give India a good start, they don't have much experience to back them for it. Rahul played two Tests on the 2018 tour here, scoring 30 runs at an average of 7.50. Mayank has a 235 against the Proteas, but is yet to play an international match in South Africa.
Both are much improved players, but will need to be at their A-game against the host pacers.
Middle order: Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli (c), Ajinkya Rahane, Rishabh Pant (wk)
Cheteshwar Pujara and Kohli are obvious choices at number three and four.
Both last scored an international ton in 2019, but have since played some critical knocks. Pujara averages 31.62 in South Africa and India would love for him to continue that by blunting the new ball and cushioning the impact if the openers fail. Kohli was magnificent in 2018 and a repeat of that will suffice for the visitors on this tour.
Ajinkya Rahane is expected to be under immense scrutiny. But with Rahul hinting at a five-bowler combination in a recent presser, India will have to go with just five specialist batters. And in the toss-up between Rahane and the Shreyas Iyer, who was brilliant against New Zealand at home, the former's prior experience of playing - and doing well - in South Africa is likely to get him at least another opportunity.
Whether or not he deserves it is debatable but India are unlikely to give up on him after carrying him into the squad. Wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant is returning after a much-deserved break and will round the middle order for the first Test.
All-rounders: Ravichandran Ashwin, Shardul Thakur
Observatory logic and recent evidence suggest that four bowlers should suffice in the pace and bounce favoring South Africa. It also suggest that India need more than just five batters as it was their batting that led the visitors down to 2018.
But India and Kohli apparently still don't trust either Ravichandran Ashwin and Shardul Thakur to be as good as Ravindra Jadeja - who is out of this tour with injury - at number eight. This will mean that both will have to chip in as all-rounders and eat away the space of a sixth specialist batter.
Ashwin is arguably in the prime of his life and would love to bring down his average of 46.14 in South Africa in these three Tests. Thakur, meanwhile, has been one of India's best performers this year. The conditions will support both of his skills and he might just eke out another series-winning show.
Bowlers: Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj
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Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami - the obvious first choice pacers for the tour - will complete a circle of sorts in Centurion.
Bumrah made his Test debut in South Africa in 2018, struggling at the start but showing how quickly he can adapt to this format. For Shami, it was the start of a magical reinvention, as he picked up a wicket every 33 balls in the three Tests.
Both now arrive here as two of the world's most fearsome pacers, refreshed after a short break and almost certainly hungry for wickets. For a South African lineup without Faf du Plessis, AB de Villiers and Hashim Amla, that isn't a good sign.
Like Rahane and Iyer, Ishant Sharma and Mohammed Siraj are a pair of diminishing veteran and a fast-rising youngster. But Siraj's incline has been more long-coming and glaring to ignore, which should allow him to get into the 11. Ishant might get in too, but it will have to come at the cost of Thakur, which looks unlikely.
Siraj has shown ingenuity and control in Australia and England and it's almost finger-licking to think about what he will conjure in South Africa. For all we know, he might be the difference between the two teams and the re-writer of India's history.