South Africa vs India, 1st Test: The Indian cricket team is preparing for a crucial two-match Test series against the hosts, following a historic ODI series success in South Africa. The action of the longest format of the game begins on December 26 with a Boxing Day Test at SuperSport Park in Centurion, followed by the second Test at Newlands on January 3.



<div class="wp-block-rank-math-toc-block" id="rank-math-toc"><nav><div><div class=""><a href="#schedule-of-the-test-series-between-india-and-south-africa">Schedule of the Test Series between India and South Africa</a><div><div class=""><a href="#where-can-we-watch-the-test-series-between-india-and-south-africa">Where can we watch the Test Series between India and South Africa?</a></div><div class=""><a href="#will-the-test-matches-be-broadcast-on-any-ott-platform">Will the test matches be broadcast on any OTT platform?</a></div><div class=""><a href="#indias-probable-playing-11-for-the-1st-test-match">India's probable playing 11 for the 1st Test match</a></div></div></div><div class=""><a href="#indias-test-squad-vs-south-africa">India's Test Squad vs South Africa</a></div><div class=""><a href="#south-africas-test-squad-vs-india">South Africa's Test Squad vs India</a></div></div></nav></div>



Indian captain Rohit Sharma, along with mainstays Virat Kohli and Jasprit Bumrah, will make their long-awaited comeback. India will be on a quest to write their name in history by winning their first Test series in South Africa. Furthermore, The Men in Blue would be hoping to maintain their top spot in the World Test Championship 2023-25 Points table with a victory in the 2-match Test Series against The Proteas.



Yashasvi Jaiswal had a solid test series against the Windies as an opener, and he is set to open the innings alongside Skipper Rohit Sharma against South Africa. Rohit is returning to the National Team setup after a break following the conclusion of the ODI World Cup, and his contribution with the bat, along with Yashasvi Jaiswal, will be extremely important for Team India if they want to win their first ever Test Series on South African soil.



Shubman Gill (The Prince of Indian Cricket) will bat at No. 3 after giving up his opening place to teammate Yashasvi Jaiswal. Gill's form has been somewhat troubling since he was not at all good in the just-finished three-match T20i series against South Africa, and he needs to perform well with the bat if India is to do well against South Africa.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://admin.icccricketschedule.com/uploads/2023/05/Indian-team-test_11zon-1024x676.jpg" alt="WTC FINAL 2023: Virat Kohli &amp; Others will leave for England on May 22nd(Tomorrow)" class="wp-image-113626" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Virat Kohli &amp; Others</figcaption></figure>



King Kohli will bat at number four in the batting order. In the recently finished ODI World Cup 2023, he was in the best form of his life, overtaking the great Sachin Tendulkar in terms of most ODI centuries. He had a rest after the World Cup and will make his comeback in the Test series against the Proteas. He would be hoping to replicate his ODI form in the longest format of the game, and his contributions will be crucial for Team India against South Africa.



Shreyas Iyer will make his long-awaited return to the longest format of the game in the series against South Africa. He played his previous test match against Australia in this year's Border-Gavaskar Trophy before suffering a back injury that forced him to miss the IPL 2023 and the WTC 23 Final. Ajinkya Rahane replaced Iyer in the lineup, but Rahane failed to impress during the West Indies tour, and Shreyas Iyer has been in top form in recent months, and he will be eager to end 2023 on a high by helping India win the test series against South Africa.



KL-Rahul will play the role of wicketkeeper against the Proteas. He usually prefers opening in the longest format of the game, but this time he would be seen batting at number 6, which is going to be quite unusual for him, and it would be interesting to see how quickly he adapts to his new role in Test matches.



For the first match, Ravindra Jadeja is slated to be the lone spinner. The Centurion pitch is quite green and will favor the seamers, and we've seen that the Indian management likes Jadeja to be the lone spinner in seam-friendly circumstances, and that will be the case against the Proteas as well.



Shardul Thakur will be the team's second all-rounder. If this match were taking place in India or at a venue where the conditions were favorable for spinners, Ashwin would have started ahead of Shardul, but because the surface would aid the seam bowlers, Ravi Ashwin will have to sit on the bench.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img src="https://admin.icccricketschedule.com/uploads/2023/06/Rohit-Sharma-Jasprit-Bumrah-1.jpg" alt="Players who can replace Rohit Sharma as India's captain in ICC WTC 2023-25" class="wp-image-114836" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Image Source: Twitter</figcaption></figure>



Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj are going to be sure shot starters in both the test matches against the Proteas, but the question is: who will be the 3rd seamer in the absence of the injured Mohammed Shami? Mukesh Kumar made his test debut against the Windies earlier this year and is coming off a decent ODI and T20i series against South Africa. The 30-year-old is expected to get the nod over Prasidh Krishna since Mukesh has already experienced the conditions of South Africa in the white ball series.



The forthcoming tests will be missed by Mohammed Shami, Ruturaj Gaikwad, and Ishan Kishan. Shami and Gaikwad are out due to injuries, while Ishan Kishan has been withdrawn from the squad due to personal reasons.



KS Bharat and Abhimanyu Easwaran have been called up as replacements for Ruturaj and Ishan while no replacement has been announced for Shami, and Mukesh Kumar or Prasidh Krishna might play the role of the 3rd seamer in the test series against the Proteas.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="schedule-of-the-test-series-between-india-and-south-africa">Schedule of the Test Series between India and South Africa</h2>



1st Test: 26/12/23, 1:30 PM (IST) Supersport Park, Centurion



2nd Test: 3/01/24 2:00 PM (IST) Newlands, Cape Town



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<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="where-can-we-watch-the-test-series-between-india-and-south-africa">Where can we watch the Test Series between India and South Africa?</h3>



One can watch the action of the test series on the Star Sports network on TV.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="will-the-test-matches-be-broadcast-on-any-ott-platform">Will the test matches be broadcast on any OTT platform?</h3>



Yes, one Can watch the live action of the test series on the application and website of Disney+Hotstar



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="indias-probable-playing-11-for-the-1st-test-match">India's probable playing 11 for the 1st Test match</h3>



Rohit Sharma (C), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (WK), Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj and Mukesh Kumar / Prasidh Krishna.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="indias-test-squad-vs-south-africa">India's Test Squad vs South Africa</h2>



Rohit Sharma (C), Virat Kohli, Shubman Gill, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shreyas Iyer, Abhimanyu Easwaran, KL Rahul (WK), KS Bharat (WK), Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin, Mohammed Siraj, Shardul Thakur, Mohammed Shami, Mukesh Kumar, Jasprit Bumrah (VC), Prasidh Krishna.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="south-africas-test-squad-vs-india">South Africa's Test Squad vs India</h2>



Temba Bavuma (C), Aiden Markram, Dean Elgar, David Bedingham, Nandre Burger, Tony de Zorzi, Keegan Petersen, Tristan Stubbs, Kyle Verreynne, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Wiaan Mulder, Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi, Gerald Coetzee.



Read: <a href="https://www.icccricketschedule.com/ind-vs-sa-rohit-sharmas-biggest-mental-challenge-during-india-vs-south-africa-1st-test-reveals-sunil-gavaskar/" data-type="link" data-id="https://www.icccricketschedule.com/ind-vs-sa-rohit-sharmas-biggest-mental-challenge-during-india-vs-south-africa-1st-test-reveals-sunil-gavaskar/">Rohit Sharma?s biggest mental challenge during India vs South Africa 1st Test reveals Sunil Gavaskar</a>



For more details, head to the?<a href="https://www.icc-cricket.com/homepage" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ICC?s?</a>official website.

South Africa vs India, 1st Test: Team India strategies against RSA, Playing 11 and Live Streaming Details

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India vs South Africa: India and South Africa are locking horns against each other in the first test match, which is being held at the Super-Sport Park in Centurion. South Africa won the toss and asked the Indian team to bat first. Prasidh Krishna makes his test debut in the first test against the Proteas. The seamer was really good in the 4-day match against South Africa-A, finishing with figures of 5-43.



The visitors have chosen Ravi Ashwin as the lone spinner for the first game, and at the toss, Captain Rohit Sharma revealed why Ravindra Jadeja is not playing in this match. "Ashwin is playing instead of Jadeja. He had a back-neck spasm in the morning, so Jaddu was not available for selection. Prasidh is making his test debut today. Bumrah, Shardul, and Siraj are the 3 seamers alongside Prasidh?.



Proteas Skipper Temba Bavuma, who is making his comeback to the team after the loss in the semi-finals of the ODI World Cup against Australia, won the toss and chose to field in order to take advantage of the overcast conditions and the moisture that is in the wicket. Seamer Nandre Burger and batsman David Bedingham are making their test debuts against India in the first test match.



South Africa is the only country where The Men in Blue have failed to win a single test series, and it is a big opportunity for Rohit Sharma and his men to rewrite history by becoming the first Indian side to win a test series against the Proteas on South African soil.



India have won 1 game and drawn 1 against the Windies so far in the current 2023?25 WTC cycle, and the Men in Blue are currently at the top of the WTC table with a points percentage of 66.67%. A win against the Proteas will help India solidify their number one position in the points table.



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<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Playing 11 of both teams for the 1st Test Match</h2>



India: Rohit Sharma (C), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, Shubman Gill, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (WK), Ravichandran Ashwin, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Prasidh Krishna, and Mohammed Siraj.



South Africa: Temba Bavuma (C), Aiden Markram, Dean Elgar, Tony De Zorzi, Keegan Petersen, David Bedingham, Kyle Verreynne (WK), Gerald Coetzee, Marco Jansen, Nandre Burger and Kagiso Rabada.



Read: <a href="https://www.icccricketschedule.com/aus-vs-pak-day-2-weather-forecast-and-pitch-report-of-melbourne-cricket-ground-melbourne-australia-vs-pakistan-2nd-test/" data-type="link" data-id="https://www.icccricketschedule.com/aus-vs-pak-day-2-weather-forecast-and-pitch-report-of-melbourne-cricket-ground-melbourne-australia-vs-pakistan-2nd-test/">AUS vs PAK Day 2 Weather Forecast and Pitch Report of Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne</a>



Visit the?<a href="https://www.icc-cricket.com/homepage" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ICC OFFICIAL WEBSITE</a>?for more recent updates.

India vs South Africa: Why is Ravindra Jadeja not playing in the first Test match against South Africa?

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The crowd at the Sydney Cricket Ground has always been under the scanner, especially when the Indian team plays. During the last Border-Gavaskar Trophy, the fans in Sydney didn't go easy on the Indian players as they made life tough for them. 
During the last Test between India and Australia, Indian players in Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj were at the receiving end of racial slurs. The players of the team were abused by the fans, and it turned out to be a big controversy, with Sydney Cricket management banning the particular section of the ground. 
A similar kind of thing unfolded on Day 1 of the ongoing match between India and Australia. Again, a particular section of the crowd came under the radar. The fans were abusing Indian fans in the stadium as they were seen chanting, "Where is your visa?". The video went viral on the internet with many lashing out at fans. 
The people at the Sydney Cricket Ground were also seen booing Indian players as well. They had a go at Virat Kohli and then later Jasprit Bumrah, who was involved in a massive fight with Sam Konstas during the last over of Day 1 of the ongoing Test match of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25. 
Coming to the match, Australia started the last day of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 on a dominating note. The visitors carried their good form and put India under massive pressure at the Sydney Cricket Ground in Sydney. The start with the bat didn't go the way India would've wanted as both the openers, KL Rahul and Yashasvi Jaiswal, were back early. Shubman Gill, who replaced Rohit Sharma, played a decent hand of 20 runs off 64 balls with two boundaries. 
He, along with Virat Kohli (17), added 40 runs for the third wicket. But both the batters couldn't bat for long as India was left tottering at 72 for four. Rishabh Pant (40) batted with great grit and looked solid before he yet again perished to a wild shot. Ravindra Jadeja (26), too, had a start, but he too couldn't get going for long as India was reduced to 148/8. Captain Jasprit Bumrah (22) hit some shots in the end and took the team to a total of 185. 
Australia, in response, lost Usman Khawaja as Jasprit Bumrah bagged his 31st wicket of the series. At stumps, Australia was 9 for one with 176 runs behind.
Also Read: <a href="https://www.icccricketschedule.com/clouds-looming-over-virat-kohli-batter-s-retirement-date-gets-finalised-/">Clouds looming over Virat Kohli! Batter's retirement date gets finalised</a>
<h2>Watch: Australian fans  humiliate Indians at SCG</h2>

The crowd at the Sydney Cricket Ground has always been under the scanner, especially when the Indian team plays

Watch: Australian fans humiliating Indians at SCG? Viral video exposes Sydney crowd

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Team India is currently participating in the five-match 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy Series on Australian soil versus the Mighty Australians. The series is currently led by the Kangaroos, who have a lead of 2-1. 
While the Indians kicked off the BGT series on a positive note, securing a comfortable victory in the Perth Test-Match, they have not been able to replicate that success in the remaining matches of the series. They suffered embarrassing defeats in the Adelaide and Melbourne Test-Matches while the Gabba Test-Match was a rain affected one and ended in a draw. 
The Rohit Sharma-led team fell to a shambolic 184 run defeat verus Pat Cummins and his men in the Melbourne Boxing-Day Test-Match and this defeat has made the Men in Blue's chances of qualifying for the WTC Final even more difficult. 
Actually, besides the Indian batters even the bowlers did not live upto expectations except Bumrah. While the Vice-Captain of the Team performed exceptionally well but he turned out to be the lone-warrior with the ball as he didn't get the required support from the other bowlers. 
In the first inning of the Melbourne Boxing-Day Test-Match, the 29-year-old dismissed four Aussie batters before picking up a fifer in the 2nd inning. This way, he took a total of nine wickets in that match. 
<h2>The other Indian bowlers are not able to support Jasprit Bumrah</h2>
Statistics show that the performance of Bumrah in the history of the World Test Championship (WTC) have been absolutely phenomenal. This fast bowler has trapped many bowlers with his variations and has used countless number of tricks up his sleeve to decieve them but he is just not able to get the required support from the other end. 
In 35 WTC matches, the Indian Vice-Captain has dismissed 155 batters at a remarkable economy of 2.80 and an amazing average of 18.56. He has also dismissed those 155 batters with a strike rate of 39.78.
<h2>Such has been the performance of Jasprit Bumrah in the World Test Championship</h2>
In the 35 matches of the World Test Championship, Jasprit Bumrah has achieved the feat of taking 5 wickets in an innings 10 times. Apart from this, he has taken 4 wickets in an innings 7 times. Cricket experts believe that Jasprit Bumrah did not get the support of other Indian bowlers and that's the reason why the Men in Blue have struggled to dominate the Aussies. 
If Jasprit Bumrah had got the support of other bowlers, then perhaps the path to the World Test Championship would have been easier for the Indian team, but this did not happen. Let us tell you that in the current series against Australia, Jasprit Bumrah has taken 31 wickets at an average of 12.74.
Do Read: <a href="https://www.icccricketschedule.com/preview/hardik-pandya-set-to-lead-india-in-champions-trophy-2025-if-rohit-leaves-his-captaincy-role/#google_vignette" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Hardik Pandya set to lead India in Champions Trophy 2025 if Rohit leaves his captaincy role</a>

Jasprit Bumrah of India has performed in an exceptional manner in the World Test Championship (WTC) but despite his remarkable displays with the ball, Team India has struggled to capitalise.

Jasprit Bumrah has amazing stats in the WTC with the ball but still Team India is not able to perform well

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The fifth and final test between India and Australia started on Friday at the Sydney Cricket Ground. The first day has completed, but the biggest story is the Indian captain, Rohit Sharma. The 37-year-old opted to sit out for the final test, and Jasprit Bumrah led in his absence.
His decision has raised concerns over his future in the Indian test team as he is also going through a very bad phase with the bat. However, according to some media reports, Rohit has played his last test for India at the MCG and might not return in white. The report from Indian Express indicates that selectors are looking beyond Rohit in test cricket.
There are chances that the Indian captain might announce his retirement after the ongoing SCG test. If it happens, India need someone to bat at the top or replace him. Here we will talk about three possible replacements for Rohit Sharma in tests.
<h2>Three Players who can replace Rohit Sharma in whites if he retires after the SCG test</h2>
1. Shubman Gill
Shubman Gill started as an opener in tests but shifted to no. 3 after India dropped Cheteshwar Pujara. But his numbers at no. 3 haven't done justice to his decision. India might need someone solid at the top, and Gill presents that technique. He can shift to the top of the order if Rohit retires from tests. He will give India a right-hand and left-hand option at the top with Yashasvi Jaiswal.
2. Abhimanyu Easwaran
Just like many Indian stars, Abhimanyu Easwaran is another name that has been knocking on the door of the Indian test side for the last couple of years now. He has been included in the squad many times but is still looking to get his maiden cap. He is a prolific scorer at the domestic level and is a gifted top-order batter. If given a chance, he can be a solid top-order batter. India can groom him into a good option to replace Rohit Sharma.
3. Nitish Kumar Reddy
This could be an out-of-the-box choice, but Nitish Kumar Reddy has certainly shown great composure for India in the ongoing BGT series. He has scored 294 runs at an average of 42 and is the third highest scorer in the series. He has shown that he has good technique to handle the bounce and pace. Currently, Reddy batting at no. 8 is not ideal for a talented batter like him. Just like Sam Konstas for Australia, he can be a fearless top-order batter if given a chance.

Rohit Sharma was dropped from the playing XI for the fifth and final test against Australia at the Sydney Cricket Ground.

3 Players who can replace Rohit Sharma at the top if he announces his retirement after the SCG Test

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While all the attention has been going towards Rohit Sharma, the retirement of Virat Kohli might be closer than expected. The reports in Indian Express and PTI have suggested that time is ticking for the senior India batter in the longest format of the game. 
Rohit Sharma getting dropped from the Indian XI for the Sydney Test meant that the captain is no longer in the scheme of things in Tests. However, the report in Indian Express stated that Virat Kohli too might be at the helm of tough things when India is set to undergo transition. 
<h2>Selection committee led by Ajit Agarkar will be sitting with Virat Kohli after the ongoing Sydney Test to discuss his future</h2>
It is learned that the selection committee led by Ajit Agarkar will be sitting with Virat Kohli after the ongoing Sydney Test to discuss his future. The premier batter has also been going through a rough patch of form and has struggled to score runs, getting out in similar fashion again and again to the balls outside off. 
In the other section of news, reported by PTI, it is learned that Virat Kohli's lean patch of form is making it very difficult for the Ajit Agarkar-led national selection committee to pick him for the England series. India will be playing a five-match series in England later this year, which will mark the new WTC cycle. 
The reports claimed that Virat Kohli had already made the decision to retire at the Oval after the fifth Test against England. However, his ambitions are all set to face a massive setback. This means that the premier batter might be told that he is no longer in plans for the next cycle of the World Test Championship. 
It is also learned that the only senior who will be in plans for the next cycle of the World Test Championship is Ravindra Jadeja. The all-rounder has proved his worth again and again, and there is no chance of removing him from the Test team any time soon as selectors believe there is not much better than him at the moment. 
Coming to Virat Kohli, the India batter has struggled to get going in the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25. The right-hander hit a solid century in the first match at the Perth, and after that, things have been quite tough for him. The premier batter has been getting out to balls outside off.
Virat Kohli faced the same fate in the ongoing Sydney Test. He got out to Scott Boland as he yet again poked at the ball outside off. The batter will have another opportunity in the next innings, and it's fair to say if he fails to get going in the next innings, then it might be curtains for him in the longest format of the game.
Do Read: <a href="https://www.icccricketschedule.com/jasprit-bumrah-on-the-cusp-of-rewriting-history-eyes-two-all-time-bowling-records-in-the-final-test-at-scg/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jasprit Bumrah on the cusp of rewriting history; eyes two all-time bowling records in the final test at SCG</a>

While all the attention has been going towards Rohit Sharma, the retirement of Virat Kohli might be closer than expected.

Clouds looming over Virat Kohli! Batter's retirement date gets finalised

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India captain Rohit Sharma possibly has played the last match of his career in Test cricket. As per the reports in Indian Express, it is learned that the exit door has been shown to the skipper related to his future in the longest format of the game. 
The reports added that Indian selectors have communicated to Rohit Sharma that they are no longer seeing him on the roadmap for the Tests beyond the Australia series. This means that the Test match in Melbourne was his last match in the longest format of the game. The next WTC cycle for India begins from England tour later this year. 
India captain Rohit Sharma was dropped from the team for the ongoing fifth Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25. The last game of the series between the teams is taking place at the Sydney Cricket Ground in Sydney and it no doubt will be an extremely crucial game for the team. 
Rohit Sharma was dropped amid his poor returns with the bat in the series. The India captain, since the home Test series against Bangladesh, has been struggling to get going, and his poor form continued even in Australia as he failed with bat both in the middle order as well as an opener. 
<h2>Rohit Sharma was replaced by Shubman Gill in the XI and Jasprit Bumrah was given the leadership role</h2>
Rohit Sharma was replaced by Shubman Gill in the XI and Jasprit Bumrah was given the leadership role. However, a captain getting dropped surely is a signal that the future isn't good for him as there are high chances that he might not be in the scheme of things going into the next World Test Championship Cycle. 
This will be a massive blow personally for Rohit Sharma. With him being at the fag end of his career, it would be very tough for him now to make a comeback into the Indian Test team. The youngsters too have been performing well, and it will not be great news for the team. 
As a leader too, Rohit Sharma hasn't looked great. It was only under his leadership that India lost the home Test series against New Zealand. Even in the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25, he hasn't looked shared. It remains to be seen what will be his future now. 
Do Read: <a href="https://www.icccricketschedule.com/jasprit-bumrah-on-the-cusp-of-rewriting-history-eyes-two-all-time-bowling-records-in-the-final-test-at-scg/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jasprit Bumrah on the cusp of rewriting history; eyes two all-time bowling records in the final test at SCG</a>

India captain Rohit Sharma possibly has played the last match of his career in Test cricket