India's Chance to Flip the South Africa Narrative

India's upcoming Test series in South Africa provides them with an opportunity to rewrite the narrative of their historically poor performance in the country. Having never won a men's Test series in South Africa, India is eager to change their fortunes and break the pattern of defeat.

Out of the eight Test series India has played in South Africa, they have lost seven of them, with their only exception being a draw in 2010-2011. The statistics show that India has struggled in South Africa, winning only four out of the 23 Tests played there. Their winning percentage is lower in South Africa compared to other countries like Australia, England, and Pakistan.

However, this time around, India's bowling attack, led by Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj, appears more formidable than in previous series. It is unfortunate that Mohammed Shami, who has shown significant improvement since the last series, will miss this tour due to an ankle injury.

While India's batting lineup may not appear as threatening, it is essential to consider the different perspective when seen through a South African lens. Several Indian batsmen, including Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, and Shreyas Iyer, have not yet played a Test match in South Africa. Additionally, the batting averages of Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul decline significantly in South Africa compared to their overall career averages. Only Virat Kohli has a better batting average in South Africa compared to his overall average.

On the South African side, they too face challenges. Their batting unit is not as strong as in previous home series against India. Dean Elgar, one of their key players, will be playing his last Test series, which may impact his focus. The fitness of Kagiso Rabada and Lungi Ngidi, who are dealing with heel and ankle injuries respectively, will also be crucial for South Africa.

For both captains, Temba Bavuma and Rohit Sharma, this series presents an opportunity to move past the disappointment of their teams' early exit from the World Cup. Winning the series would be a significant achievement, but another defeat would be a severe blow to their already bruised spirits.

The series opener at Centurion is likely to face interruptions due to high chances of rain on the first two days. However, spectators can expect seam and swing movement in the favourable pitch conditions.

Probable XI:

South Africa - Dean Elgar, Aiden Markram, Tony de Zorzi, Temba Bavuma (capt), David Bedingham, Kyle Verreynne, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Gerald Coetzee, Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi

India - Rohit Sharma (capt), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna

In preparation for this series, Temba Bavuma highlights the importance of embracing younger players while bidding farewell to Dean Elgar, an influential figure in South African cricket. Shardul Thakur acknowledges the challenge of playing Test cricket in South Africa, a country known for its unpredictable pitches.

The series promises excitement as both teams seek to make a mark and change the narrative surrounding their previous performances.