South Africa have made as many as four changes to a winning combination for the second of a two-match Test series against West Indies in Johannesburg today. The development was confirmed after captain Temba Bavuma won the toss and chose to bat for the second time in a row.
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“We will have a bat first. We expect the pitch will break up and offer help for the spinners. Want to put runs on the board,” Bavuma told host broadcaster SuperSport at the toss.
West Indies, who have made a solitary change to their Playing XI, also observed the “dryness” of the pitch at The Wanderers Stadium to make the change accordingly.
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“The pitch is dry and we expect it to help the spinners. It’s about how we carry longer with both bat and ball and show that fight. We are not far away from achieving that,” West Indies captain Kraigg Brathwaite told SuperSport at the toss.
Why is Marco Jansen not playing today vs West Indies?
Batter Keegan Peterson, all-rounders Marco Jansen and Senuran Muthusamy and fast bowler Anrich Nortje are all missing this match. Jansen, in particular, has been rested to manage his workload. Nortje, on the other hand, has been released from the squad in a precautionary move taking into consideration a groin niggle which he sustained during the first Test in Centurion.
Batter Ryan Rickelton, all-rounder Wiaan Mulder and spinners Keshav Maharaj and Simon Harmer are playing this match in place of the above mentioned names. With the home team including two specialist spinners namely Maharaj and Harmer, it is further an indication that the surface is highly likely to assist spinners during the course of the match.
Similarly, the visitors have included spinner Gudakesh Motie for pacer Shannon Gabriel to bolster their spin-bowling department in what is their first Test at this venue in almost a couple of decades.
