Johannesburg — South Africa and India face-off in the first Test of their highly anticipated series at SuperSport Park in Centurion on Sunday.
IOL Sport’s Stuart Hess takes a look at five key battles that cricket fans will be excited to see in the first Test, and that could go on to decide the outcome after five days.
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Elgar/Markram vs Bumrah
South Africa’s two leading run-scorers in 2021 haven’t always given the best starts as a pair — the highest opening partnership this year is 67. Individually they’ve been good, each has made a hundred, and a pair of fifties. Bumrah is an immensely skillful bowler, with pace to boot. He’ll be aware of SA’s reliance on Elgar and Markram and with both vulnerable outside off-stump early on, especially Elgar, he’ll be targeting that area with the new ball.
Rabada vs Kohli
The Indian captain has had the better of this battle in the nine Tests they’ve faced each other. He was Rabada’s maiden Test wicket, but since then the Proteas’ premier fast bowler has dismissed him just one other time. Kohli comes into the series, on the back of a disappointing year with the bat, which is just the kind of thing he’ll want to rectify in a series with so much at stake for him personally. Rabada hasn’t been bad in 2021, but he’s also not dominated. As clashes of egos go, they don’t get better than this.
Pant vs De Kock
Would have been a defining match-up for the series, but with De Kock set to leave the squad (and the bio bubble) because of the impending birth of his first child, this first Test is all we’ll get. Both play in the same care-fre, aggressive manner with the bat and have delivered match-winning performances. De Kock’s arguably the better ‘keeper, and certainly the quieter of the pair behind the stumps. Given that it’s likely to be his only match in the series, he’ll want to make an impression at one of his favourite venues.
Mulder vs Thakur
This is very much dependent on whether Kohli wants five bowlers - which he usually does. Going with Thakur, gives India the option of playing four seamers and the spinner - much like South Africa. Thakur has only played four Tests, but has arguably made more of an impact in those matches than Mulder’s had in six. They’re very similar players, and given the all-rounder roles, provide a ‘dual threat’ if on song.
Maharaj vs Ashwin
Not a straight up face to face battle, but an intriguing one given the skill and intellect of the two players. Pace will dominate in Centurion, but there’ll be periods when these two will have a job to do — either in holding up an end (not very glamorous, but crucial nonetheless) and if it gets to a fifth day, take advantage of any wear on the surface.
IOL Sport