South Africa hurt by injury to key player
South Africa were dealt a massive blow days before the first Test when Anrich Nortje, their premier quick across formats now, was ruled out of the entire series after he failed to recover from an injury that’s been persistent for long.
Nortje’s absence opens doors for Duanne Olivier, in great form in domestic cricket, and returning to the Test setup after three years of a Kolpak deal in England, but South Africa aren’t at their best without Nortje. The batting has been feeble for a while now and given India’s dominant bowling unit, South Africa’s odds to win stand at 3.14
India reached the World Test Championship final earlier this year and are arguably the best team in world cricket at the moment. What will hurt them, though, is a batting unit that hasn’t quite clicked in recent times. With Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill out injured for the series, their batting is fickle. Even with South Africa not with their best bowling group, India’s chances of winning the first Test aren’t all that great despite the tag of favourites and odds of 2.10 to win the Test.
India’s quest in South Africa
India are yet to win a Test series in South Africa and although they came close in 2018, that was when the team was functioning at their peak, especially the batting group, which no longer is the case. Virat Kohli hasn’t scored an international hundred in two years and the likes of Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane are struggling.
RECOMMENDED BET: South Africa have a strong bowling attack still and will likely start the series with a win at 3.14
In 20 Test matches in South Africa, India have won just three and lost 10 over the years. The record also means that India are heavily up against the conditions here which they are yet to come to terms with.
Keep an eye on…
South Africa’s pace attack: Kagiso Rabada is no longer the same bowler he was a couple of years back and Anrich Nortje is out of the series. This leaves a lot of onus on Lungi Ngidi and Duanne Olivier to step up and play at their peak.
Virat Kohli: An international hundred has eluded Kohli for long, but he hasn’t exactly been out of form. Kohli has enjoyed batting in South Africa and knocked off a spectacular hundred at Centurion, venue of the first Test, last time around.
TIP: Virat Kohli has odds of 4.28 to score a hundred, his 71st in international cricket, and it’s definitely not beyond him. With South Africa’s attack depleted and the pitch one of the flattest in the country, back Kohli to get his ton.
