Follow UsIt was a toss session filled with surprises at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata today as both India and South Africa rang the changes, throwing in surprises that not many saw coming.
Temba Bavuma won the toss and opted to bat first, and he revealed immediately that his side were going to be without their star pacer Kagiso Rabada, who is out with a rib injury. Corbin Bosch takes his place in the XI, and the Proteas are also going with just two spinners in Keshav Maharaj and Simon Harmer, with left-arm spinner Senuran Muthusamy dropped despite stellar performances with both bat and ball in Pakistan.
India, meanwhile, have opted to go with FOUR spinners. In addition to Kuldeep Yadav, Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar, the hosts have also picked Axar Patel. Interestingly, Sai Sudharsan has been sacrificed to fit-in Axar, meaning Sundar will bat at No.3 for the side.
India have also picked two pacers in Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj, meaning they will have as many as six specialist bowlers at their disposal.
Playing XIs
India XI for first Test
Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Washington Sundar, Shubman Gill(c), Rishabh Pant(w), Ravindra Jadeja, Dhruv Jurel, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj
South Africa XI for first Test
Aiden Markram, Ryan Rickelton, Wiaan Mulder, Temba Bavuma(c), Tony de Zorzi, Tristan Stubbs, Kyle Verreynne(w), Simon Harmer, Marco Jansen, Corbin Bosch, Keshav Maharaj