[Watch] "Ravi(Indiran) & Ravi(Chandran)"- Ashwin and Jadeja discuss strategies during practice session ahead of Test series vs South Africa
Team India's spin twins Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja have commenced their preparations for the upcoming two-match Test series in South Africa. All the players are working hard in the nets and also playing in intra-squad matches to get themselves ready for the tough assignment.
The series will commence on Tuesday (December 26) with the first Test match at SuperSport Park in Centurion.
Due to the pace-friendly conditions in the African country, Indian team management has usually opted to play one spinner in the playing XI in their recent tours.
Ravindra Jadeja has been the first choice pick for the role in overseas Tests for some time now due to his superior batting prowess and form when compared to Ravichandran Ashwin.
Things might go the same way in the first Test of the upcoming series as well. Both the veteran spinners are working together off the field and discussing strategies to fine-tune their crafts ahead of the Centurion Test. Ashwin took to his official Instagram handle and gave a glimpse of it by sharing a video. He captioned:
"Ravi(Indiran) & Ravi(Chandran) 😂😂☺️ Picked this out from the captions suggested in yesterday’s post. Once again caption suggestions are welcome."
Jadeja also commented on the post, which read:
"I m with 🐐 (G.O.A.T. - as in Greatest of All Time)"
"Indian team has arrived in South Africa with its best-ever chance"- Fanie de Villiers
Former South African pacer Fanie de Villiers recently opined that India has a slight edge against the hosts going into the Test series. He feels that it is the best chance for Team India to win as they have a high-quality pace attack at their disposal. De Villiers told news agency PTI:
"I think, India have a 65 percent chance of winning this Test series. Indian team has arrived in South Africa with its best ever chance (to win a series). For the first time they have got fast bowlers, who can bowl 'the line' and not just hit the length. They can bowl on the imaginary 'fifth', 'sixth' off-stump line. If you can get at least four balls on that corridor, that's how you win Tests.”
He added:
"India have been coming for many years but very few of your fast bowlers were line bowlers. But now you have Bumrah and Siraj. Yes, I agree that Shami not playing makes a massive difference. But Siraj and Bumrah are bowlers who can bowl line, whereas South African bowlers bowl from off to leg stump."
India's pace attack will be led by Jasprit Bumrah with Mohammed Shami ruled out due to an injury.
Do you think India can win the 2-match Test series against the Proteas team? Let us know your predictions in the comments section.