India tour of South Africa, 2018

[sox63]

My guess for the XI

Markram
Elgar
Amla
AB
Faf
De Bruyn
Qdk
Philander
Rabada
Morkel
Ngidi

With the weather and pitch, I think we will need the extra batsmen. Markram passed his fitness test, so can bowl some spin if need be

 

[satanboy]

why do you guys talk about rain so openly when you know there are Capetonians on this forum ?

 

[sand_man]

Ideally bowl first with an all-seam attack and try get them out cheaply. Lets hope we get some cricket today.

Well, the rain stopped at around 6am and it's clearing a bit. With Wanderers excellent drainage let's see... I'm quietly optimistic...

 

[Drifter]

I just hope QDK can hit some form. He has been woeful in this series so far.

 

[WaxLyrical]

India have a serious batting problem.

I suspect a major re reshuffle at the top.
Rahane will definitely play his first game.

 

[Arthur]

Add Hash to the hit-some-form wishlist.

 

[Drifter]

Yes, that too.

 

[sox63]

India have a serious batting problem.

I suspect a major re reshuffle at the top.
Rahane will definitely play his first game.

He and Yadav probably. I get the feeling if they do play, it would be something Kohli would not be all that happy about.

 

[Creag]

Lungi Ngidi on life in his lane:

He was the toast of the entire country a week ago and Lungi Ngidi (for those who don't know him, READ. NOW) is not going to lack for support this time either. He's just tweeted: "Look who arrived to watch the final test match, 1st time in a hotel, 1st time in joburg. Parents showing support."

 

[Creag]

On the pitch:

9.00 am There has been overnight rain in Johannesburg. Don't worry, it's cleared now and we expect a prompt start. But the pitch, even if it was covered, would have been sweating and all that moisture could easily bring a bit of the same in an opening batter's eyes. But a (paraphrased) word of warning, from former South African batsman Daryll Cullinan: If you are bowling and don't the opposition out on day one or first thing on the second morning, you are asking for trouble. The ball can leave indentations on the soft Wanderers pitch, which you need to iron out with a heavy roller on the first day or early on the second day, otherwise batting last can be an issue.

"Good grass covering," says Shaun Pollock for the pitch report. "It might be slow though. The surface is quite hard. There are some cracks already and with the sun coming out, it would open up. For me, if I win the toss, I'd go bowling first, get that new ball..." If you're gagging for more info on that, here's the South African captain Faf du Plessis on what they'd asked for from the Wanderers curators

 

[Dan C]

India have won the toss and have opted to bat

 

[Neoprod]

India have won the toss and have opted to bat

Cojones...the lad does not lack for them.

 

[Creag]

India have won the toss and have opted to bat

So we're rooting for an innings defeat or a small target in the 4th - or the pitch could be a nightmare come day 5.

 

[Agent_Smith]

Interesting. So again, the toss doesn't seem to have much of an impact. India wanted to bat and SA wanted to bowl. Time will tell which skipper is going to be the happier.

 

[Dan C]

South Africa : Dean Elgar, Aiden Markram, Hashim Amla, AB de Villiers, Faf du Plessis(c), Quinton de Kock(w), Vernon Philander, Kagiso Rabada, Morne Morkel, Lungisani Ngidi, Andile Phehlukwayo

India : Murali Vijay, Lokesh Rahul, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli(c), Ajinkya Rahane, Parthiv Patel(w), Hardik Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mohammed Shami, Ishant Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah

 

[sox63]

Big balls from Kohli to bat first.

 

[Creag]

Big balls from Kohli to bat first.

More to aim at?

 

[Neoprod]

I want to go on Friday after lunch...hope this isn't a two day test.

 

[Dan C]

I want to go on Friday after lunch...hope this isn't a two day test.

It's going to be an interesting first session today.

 

[Drifter]

Dis gon be gud.