New Zealand vs South Africa Dream11 prediction: 3 players you can pick as captain or vice-captain for today's 1st Test match - February 17th, 2022
New Zealand and South Africa will lock horns in the first game of the two-match Test series from Thursday, February 17. Hagley Oval in Christchurch will host the encounter.
South Africa, led by Dean Elgar, must be brimming with confidence after defeating India 2-1 in the Test series. They started with a heavy defeat at the SuperSport Park in Centurion. But the Proteas rebounded to win the Johannesburg and Cape Town Tests to seal the fate of the series.
The Black Caps, on the other hand, had a topsy-turvy outing against Bangladesh. They lost the first Test at Bay Oval in Mount Maunganui, but came back to win the second Test. It remains to be seen if they can get past Elgar's Proteas.
On that note, we take a look at three players whom you can pick as captain and vice-captain for your Dream11 team for the New Zealand vs South Africa Test.
#3 Tom Latham
Tom Latham has been the fulcrum of the New Zealand batting unit in Kane Williamson's absence. The left-hander is only 514 runs short of accomplishing the 5000-run landmark in the purest format. Latham has already notched 12 centuries and 22 half-centuries.
Back in November, he got scores of 95 and 52 against India in the Kanpur Test. Thereafter, the left-hander chipped in with a 252-run knock against Bangladesh in the Christchurch Test last month. If he gets going, the African bowlers could find themselves in a lot of trouble.
#2 Devon Conway
Devon Conway has made a dream start to his Test sojourn for the Black Caps. In five Tests, the left-handed batter has scored 623 runs at an average of 69.22 with three centuries and two fifties. Back in June 2021, the South African-born man scored 200 at the Lord's Cricket Ground.
He was also in impressive touch in the Test series against Bangladesh. In the opening Test at Mount Maunganui, Conway scored 122 and followed it up with a 109-run knock in Christchurch. The Proteas need to see his back at the earliest when he comes out to bat.
#1 Marco Jansen
Marco Jansen made an impressive Test debut against India back in December. The left-armer scalped 19 wickets from three games at an average of 16.47 and an economy rate of 3.02.
Jansen, who's also played for the Mumbai Indians (MI) in the Indian Premier League (IPL), had two four-wicket hauls and as many three-wicket hauls. Jansen also has the potential to score useful runs lower down the batting order.