IND vs SA: India and South Africa are keeping everyone excited with their build-up to the first Test. The first game between the teams will place on 26th December in Centurion and it is expected to be a cracker of a game. Both teams are putting in hard yards and are leaving no stone unturned in their preparations.
IND vs SA: Simon Doull picks his Indian XI for the first Test against South Africa; picks both R Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja
The Indian combination for the first IND vs SA Test has kept many guessing. Many are wondering about what playing 11 will be Rohit Sharma-led side fielding because they haven’t won a series in South Africa and it will be a great opportunity for them to script history.
With all the speculations about the India XI, former New Zealand cricketer Simon Doull has picked his Indian 11 for the first IND vs SA Test. According to him, Rohit Sharma will be opening the innings alongside young Yashasvi Jaiswal. The left-right combination at the top might come in handy for the team in the game.
Shubman Gill has been drafted at No.3 by Simon Doull. The young batter recently expressed his desire to bat at 3 and team management gave him the position after Cheteshwar Pujara was dropped from the team. He would be hoping to make a statement in the first game itself.
Virat Kohli no brainer will bat at No.4 in the first IND vs SA Test and Simon Doull feels the same. He will be key for the middle order in the series. The former Kiwi player then backed Shreyas Iyer to bat at No.5 in the series. This will be the first time Iyer will be playing a Test since February this year.
Doull backed KL Rahul to be a keeper in the team and bat at No.6 in the first IND vs SA. To keep the performance up with bat as well the gloves will be a challenge for Rahul in the game. Ravindra Jadeja makes it into Simon’s 11 and what surprised many was he also picked R Ashwin.
R Ashwin usually doesn’t get to play in overseas conditions as India prefers four-seamers. But Doull believes that Jadeja and Ashwin will get the nod ahead of the fourth pacer. He then picked Shardul Thakur as the fast bowling all-rounder in the team alongside Mohammed Siraj, and Jasprit Bumrah.
IND vs SA: Simon Doull picks his Indian XI for the first Test against South Africa; picks both R Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja
Here is Simon Doull’s Indian playing 11 for the first IND vs SA Test
Rohit Sharma (c), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, KL Rahul, Shreyas Iyer, Ravindra Jadeja, R Ashwin, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj.