Preview: 2nd Test match between South Africa and India
The second match of the Castle Test Series between South Africa and http://www.senore.com/Cricket/India-c750 is going to begin on December 26. South Africa is on the back of a resounding win at the Super Sport Park in Centurion, and is leading the series 1-0.
The series is quite high-profile, considering India is the top-ranked Test team in the world and South Africa currently follows at second place in the ICC Test Rankings. However, South Africa has proved to be the better team in
bowling-friendly conditions in the first Test match, winning by an innings and 25 runs, and is looking to continue with the same form in the Boxing Day Test.
The home team will probably be retaining the same playing eleven for the second Test. The only question mark is the selection of left-arm fast bowler Lonwabo Tsotsobe, who was just barely able to pick up one wicket in the first
Test. It is possible that Tsotsobe may be replaced by http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Ryan-McLaren-c87323 or Wayne Parnell.
One concern for South Africa remains its comparatively lackluster second-innings bowling performance in the last few Tests the team has played. http://www.senore.com/Cricket/South-Africa-c757 has been unable to bowl a good second innings in its last three Test matches.
In their series against http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Pakistan-c755, South African bowlers were not able to dismantle the Pakistani batting lineup in the second innings of the Test matches at Dubai and Abu Dhabi. The same was the case in the first Test against India at the Centurion. India
was bowled out for a mere 136 run in its first innings, but was able to put up much better resistance the second time round.
The Indian team, meanwhile, has a lot of problems to handle. The biggest of all is the Indian batsmen’s apparent inability to play the rising ball. Star pace bowler Zaheer Khan is likely to make a comeback to the Test side after
recovering from a hamstring injury that kept him out of the first Test. He will most probably be replacing http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Ishant-Sharma-c64566 are likely to retain their places on the team.
The Indian batting line-up is relatively more dependable, but Suresh Raina’s form has been a subject of doubt. Raina was not able to make any kind of an impression at SuperSport Park, and might possible by replaced by the likes
of http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Murali-Vijay-c78035 and Cheteshwar Pujara, both of whom have performed very well in recent times.
Judging from weather conditions and the reputation of the Kingsmead Stadium in Durban, the pitch for the second Test is expected to have a lot of bounce. http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Dale-c52110 Steyn will likely be raring to crush India once again
on a pitch that will give a lot of assistance to pacemen. As in the first Test, the toss will most probably be a very decisive factor in the outcome of the Boxing Day Test.
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