SA vs IND: Three player battles to watch out for

After having dominated the proceedings against New Zealand at home, team India is all set to take on the challenge against South Africa. They are scheduled to play three Tests and as many ODIs against the Proteas. It is a no-brainer that the longest format of the game brings its own challenges.

India hasn’t won a Test series in South Africa yet and considering their recent performances in the overseas conditions, the team is expected to turn the tables this time around. However, as the two teams will be locking horns with each other in the red-ball format there will be quite a few intriguing battles to watch out for.

Here are 3 Player battles to watch out for in the SA-IND Test series:

Virat Kohli vs Keshav Maharaja

The Indian skipper will have a lot of hopes pinned on him to perform in the highly-anticipated series. Though Kohli has chimed in with valuable knocks recently, he has last scored an international century in the year 2019.

The cricketing fraternity and fans are predicting that the swashbuckling batter will shift his fortunes this time around. However, one of the challenges for him will be to face the Proteas spinner Keshav Maharaja. Given Kohli’s struggle against spin for some time now, it would be intriguing to watch who dominates the battle.

Dean Elgar vs Ravichandran Ashwin

The contest between Elgar and Ashwin will be one to watch out for. The off-spinner has been one of the prime spinners of Team India’s Test setup for a long now. His record against the left-handers is also quite impressive and that further garners the audacity of this battle.

The bowler has so far had an edge in this battle. He has dismissed Dean Elgar six times in Test match cricket. Ashwin registered a five-wicket haul when India last played Tests in South Africa and thus, he will have his spirits high. Elgar, on the other hand, is also an experienced campaigner and will aim to settle the scores this time around.

Cheteshwar Pujara vs Kagiso Rabada

Though he has hit a rough patch with his willow lately, Pujara is one of the key players of India’s Test setup. He is instrumental in staying resilient on the field and holding the fort of the side. In this case, South Africa’s prime pacer Rabada can pose serious threats to the batter. The speedster will try to unsettle the batter with his raw pace and it will thus be interesting to watch how Pujara backs his technique to emerge triumphantly.