India elect to bat against South Africa

Johannesburg, Dec 18 (IANS) India skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni won the toss and elected to bat against South Africa in the first Test at the Wanderers here Wednesday.

India have gone in with three pacers Zaheer Khan, Ishant Sharma and Mohammed Shami, and spinner Ravichandran Ashwin. Zaheer will be playing his first international match in 12 months.

South Africa: Graeme Smith (captain), Alviro Petersen, Hashim Amla, Jacques Kallis, AB de Villiers (wicketkeeper), Faf du Plessis, Jean Paul Duminy, Vernon Philander, Dale Steyn, Morne Morkel, Imran Tahir.

India: Murali Vijay, Shikhar Dhawan, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Ajinkya Rahane, Mahendra Singh Dhoni(captain/wicketkeeper), Ravichandran Ashwin, Ishant Sharma, Zaheer Khan, Mohammed Shami.