Ind vs SA: 5 key players who will play in South Africa for first time- The highly-anticipated India Tour of South Africa is all set to kick start on December 26. The upcoming Test series will offer a number of players an opportunity to showcase their talent. After proving their mettle in Australia & England, the likes of Rishabh Pant, Shardul Thakur, Shreyas Iyer, Mohd Siraj and Mayank Agarwal will be key in Team India’s pursuit of maiden Test victory on SA soil. Follow India Tour of South Africa updates on InsideSport.IN
Ind vs SA: 5 key players who will play in South Africa for first time
Rishabh Pant
The wicket-keeper batsman Rishabh Pant was one of the key forces behind India’s second Test series victory in Australia earlier this year. His excellent knocks guided India to Border Gavaskar Trophy and breach the Gabba fortress. His scores of 89* and 91 helped India win the series 2-1. The youngster will now look to make up for his lean patch during the India Tour of England where he struck a single fifty.
Shardul Thakur
In absence of R Jadeja, Shardul Thakur is likely to play the role of a proper allrounder during India Tour of South Africa. He has already impressed in just 4 matches with 14 wickets and 190 runs under his belt. He was phenomenal with the bat at Brisbane and The Oval. He can also ensure that India can go ahead with 4 pacers + 1 spin attack in pace-friendly conditions.
Mohd Siraj
Mohd Siraj has grown as a key player and India’s third seamer after Jasprit Bumrah and Mohd Shami. He has already taken 33 wickets on 10 Tests with experience of playing in both Australia & England.
Mayank Agarwal
Mayank Agarwal has performed very well against South Africa at home. In fact, he has amassed 340 runs in 3 Tests against SA at an average of 85 which includes a couple of centuries. He will now look to dominate the Proteas in their backyard.
Shreyas Iyer
India’s No.4 batsman in white-ball cricket Shreyas Iyer made the most of his Test debut against New Zealand. He struck a century and followed it with a half-century. But Hanuma Vihari’s sensation form in South Africa is likely to bench him in the opening Test. He will certainly get a chance in at least one of the upcoming three Tests. He will look to make the most of his chances.
India’s Test squad: Virat Kohli (Captain), KL Rahul, Mayank Agarwal, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane, Priyank Panchal, Shreyas Iyer, Hanuma Vihari, Rishabh Pant (wicket-keeper), Wriddhiman Saha (wicket-keeper), R Ashwin, Jayant Yadav, Ishant Sharma, Mohd. Shami, Umesh Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Shardul Thakur, Md. Siraj
| South Africa vs India, 2021/22 – Test series | |||
| S.No. | Date | Match | Venue |
| 1 | 26th – 30th December, 2021 | 1st Test | SuperSport Park, Centurion |
| 2 | 3rd – 7th January, 2022 | 2nd Test | Wanderers, Johannesburg |
| 3 | 11th – 15th January, 2022 | 3rd Test | Newlands, Cape Town |
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