IND vs SA Dream11 Team Prediction: India vs South Africa 1st Test Match Best Dream 11 Team

IND vs SA Dream11 Team Prediction: India will be looking to maintain their unbeaten record in the ICC World Test Championship.

The first Test of the ongoing India’s tour of South Africa will be played from tomorrow at the Dr. Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium in Visakhapatnam. With the T20I series ending in a 1-1 draw, both teams would be looking to force a result this time round.

While it will be India’s second shot at the ongoing ICC World Test Championship, it will be the first for the visitors. South Africa are among the three teams (Bangladesh and Pakistan being the others) who are yet to play a match in the Test Championship.

Currently at the top of the points table, India will be in a privileged position in their home conditions against South Africa tomorrow. An inexperienced South African squad further makes their job as a daunting task.

IND vs SA Dream11 Team Prediction

Team News

Among the three changes which India have made to their Playing XI include opening batsman Rohit Sharma, wicket-keeper batsman Wriddhiman Saha and off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin coming in for Lokesh Rahul, Rishabh Pant and injured fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah.

With South Africa playing their last Test in February, predicting their Playing XI isn’t the easiest of tasks. If they don’t play five specialist bowlers, expect one out of Zubayr Hamza or Senuran Muthusamy to play in place of Lungi Ngidi.

Probable Playing XI

India

1) Mayank Agarwal 2) Rohit Sharma 3) Cheteshwar Pujara 4) Virat Kohli (c) 5) Ajinkya Rahane 6) Hanuma Vihari 7) Wriddhiman Saha (wk) 8) Ravindra Jadeja 9) Ravichandran Ashwin 10) Ishant Sharma 11) Mohammed Shami

South Africa

1) Dean Elgar 2) Aiden Markram 3) Theunis de Bruyn 4) Faf du Plessis (c) 5) Temba Bavuma 6) Quinton de Kock (wk) 7) Vernon Philander 8) Keshav Maharaj 9) Kagiso Rabada 10) Dane Piedt 11) Lungi Ngidi

Players to watch out for

India – Virat Kohli, Ravichandran Ashwin, Ishant Sharma

South Africa – Aiden Markram, Temba Bavuma, Kagiso Rabada

Pitch Report and Toss Prediction

The pitch in Visakhapatnam is expected to favour the bowlers. While the surface will aid the spinners, the overcast conditions will see fast bowlers calling the shots. Therefore, batsmen from both the teams will be on their toes from tomorrow.

In the only Test played at this venue before, India had registered a victory after opting to bat first.

IND vs WI Dream11 Wicket-keepers

My only wicket-keeper batsman for this match is South Africa’s Quinton de Kock. Coming on the back of a ‘Man of the Series’ effort in the T20I series, the southpaw will be high on confidence with the bat in hand.

IND vs WI Dream11 Batsmen

My first batsman for this match is India captain Virat Kohli. Given his Test record in India, it would be a blunder to not include him in your Dream 11 fantasy squad for this match. Get him in!

Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane are my other two Indian batsmen for this match. In seven Tests against South Africa, Pujara has scored 613 runs at an average of 32.26 including a century and three half-centuries. In four Tests against the same opposition at home, Pujara’s 202 runs have come at an average of 33.66.

On the other hand, Rahane has scored 532 runs in seven Tests including two centuries and half-centuries each against South Africa. In four Tests at home, Rahane’s 266 runs have come at an average of 53.20. If there comes a choice between picking one out of Pujara and Rahane (mentioned below), you know whom to pick now.

While opening batsman Aiden Markram scored a brisk century in the warm-up match against Indian Board’s President XI, middle-order batsman Temba Bavuma scored an unbeaten 87* (127).

Furthermore, Markram had also scored 161 (253) with the help of 20 fours and two sixes against India A last month. With Bavuma contributing in both the T20Is, I have decided to pick both the in-form batsmen from the opposition.

IND vs WI Dream11 All-rounders

Premier Indian spinners in Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja are the two all-rounders for this match. The duo has successfully spun a web around the visiting batsmen in Test matches over the years. If the wicket supports them, don’t be surprised if they dismantle the Proteas’ batting lineup on their own.

IND vs WI Dream11 Bowlers

India fast bowler Ishant Sharma is my first bowler for this match. In the last two years, Sharma has picked 60 wickets in 15 Tests at an average of 20.65, an economy rate of 2.73 and a strike rate of 45.3.

South Africa fast bowler Kagiso Rabada and spinner Keshav Maharaj will complete my Playing XI for this match. In the last 12 months, Rabada has dismissed 25 batsmen in five Tests at an average of 22.16, an economy rate of 3.72 and a strike rate of 35.7.

On the other hand, Maharaj has picked 94 wickets in 25 Tests at an average of 28.44 and an economy rate of 3.19. Having played 16 wickets in two Tests in Asia, Maharaj would be eager to bowl more on supportive wickets.

If you want to include Shami to play all four specialist Indian bowlers, feel free to do the same in place of Pujara. The move will earn you an additional point which you might use accordingly.

Captain and vice-captain

If India bats first – Virat Kohli (c) and Ravichandran Ashwin (vc)

If India bowls first – Virat Kohli (vc) and Ravichandran Ashwin (c)

Noteworthy stats

1) In 34 home Tests, Kohli has scored 3,105 runs at an average of 64.68 and a strike rate of 59.47 including 11 centuries and 10 half-centuries. Having scored 167 (267) and 81 (109), Kohli had top-scored for India in their only Test in Visakhapatnam.

2) Other than picking eight wickets at this venue, Ashwin has also scored a half-century while batting at No. 6 against England in 2016.

Dream 11 disclaimer

All our selections are based on in-depth and astute analysis of the players partaking in the match, their performances in recent time, how the two teams have fared in the cricketing fraternity over the course of the last year, pitch report and a perusal of other reasoning. Please incorporate a slew of factors while crafting your own side with this article serving as a guide to the match and players who are expected to dole out the maximum points.