India in South Africa 2018: Watch out for the top 5 Indians
As we near the end of 2017, a year that proved to be a fruitful one for Indian cricket, we are anticipating the Men in Blue to kickstart 2018 with a victory.
All eyes are on the upcoming Tour of South Africa in early January, with the first match set to begin on January 5, 2018. India will play hard and look to win their first series in South Africa, a feat they have not yet achieved ever since their first tour in 1992-93 after the Proteas were reinstated.
Team India's squad looks quite promising and with good home seasons against Australia, New Zealand and Sri Lanka, they are at the top of their game.
India has a good mix of experience and youth with Jaspreet Bumrah being included in the Test squad for the first time. The squad also features Parthiv Patel as a reserve keeper. Here are five players who are expected to lead the charge in South Africa:
#5. Ishant Sharma
Ishant Sharma has played more Tests away than at home. The tall paceman has featured in 47 games abroad out of 79 games he has played. Pacers are important in South Africa as the conditions favour the quick bowlers with good bounce and swing.
He will be the key in India's attack, and his experience will bolster India's chances to make amends for the previous tour. He has a good record abroad, grabbing 146 wickets at an average of 37.56 but South Africa has not been very kind to him as he has only 12 wickets in 5 games. His experience abroad must help him get the better of the South African batting line-up.