India vs South Africa 2021: 3 pacers who must start for India in the Boxing Day Test
Rahul Dravid and Virat Kohli will have a happy headache when they sit down to draw bowlers for the first Test between India and South Africa on Sunday (December 26).
With the Centurion pitch conducive to pacers (per Cricmetric), India will consider going seam-heavy. While Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami pick themselves, there will be a look at who India might pick as their spinner. They will also ponder upon the pacer who might take a spinner's place.
Ravichandran Ashwin will almost certainly be the go-to spinner, and Shardul Thakur might get a look-in if India decide to play a genuine all-rounder in their place.
Ahead of the first Test, we take a look at the three seamers India must play against South Africa.
#1 Mohammed Shami will be the pace spearhead for India
With 195 wickets from 54 matches, Mohammed Shami will lead the pace attack for India and will be eager to bag five more wickets to make it 200 Test scalps.
Shami has been instrumental in Tests in 2021, picking up 15 wickets in his last four Tests and will be Kohli's go-to man in the series against the Proteas.
#2 Jasprit Bumrah
Bumrah was one of the sore absentees in the Tests against New Zealand along with Shami and has been crucial in India's red-ball fortunes. He's picked up 23 wickets in the last eight Tests for India.
Bumrah began his Test journey against South Africa in 2018 and has been a force to be reckoned with, making him the second seamer to play in the first Test.
#3 Mohammed Siraj
Mohammed Siraj might just pip Umesh Yadav and Ishant Sharma in the race to be India's mid-overs quick after his impressive outings in the recent past.
After his five-wicket haul against Australia at the start of 2021, Siraj has been a constant presence in India's side and even played a key role against New Zealand in the second Test, bagging three wickets as India won the series 1-0.