As India prepare to defend their lead against South Africa in the second match of the Mahatma Gandhi-Nelson Mandela Test series, it has been raining continuously for over a week in Bangalore. In fact, this has been the wettest November in the last 100 years in the city of Bangalore. The rains have come out of nowhere and they are already threatening to disrupt the much anticipated second Test.
South Africa would hate to see the Test getting washed out – which looks a real possibility – because the Bangalore track has always had something in it for the faster bowlers. It’s not going to be a tailor made surface for spinners as Mohali turned out to be.
But South Africa find themselves in a precarious situation, having to go into the Bangalore Test without two, or possibly three of their frontline fast bowlers. Dale Steyn sits out of the Test because of a groin injury suffered in the Mohali Test. Vernon Philander is out of the entire series because of – believe or not – an ankle injury suffered while playing football in practice! Morne Morkel’s fitness will be tested on the eve of the Test, and there is a strong likelihood that he will miss out too.
That leaves us with a young and untested bowling line-up, with young 20 year old Kagiso Rabada leading the attack. The kid is pretty capable – make no mistake – but the Indian batsmen wouldn’t be quaking in their boots.
How the tables have turned – at the end of the one day internationals and T20s, the South Africans were well on top and the Indians were down and out. But the Test match in Mohali has changed the entire complexion of the series. Indians are back to being “Lions at Home”, undisputed masters of their own den.
Indian bowling is perfectly suited to these conditions and in R Ashwin, they have a champion bowler who is playing the best cricket of his career. The likes of Ravindu Jadeja and Amit Mishra look formidable in these conditions as well.
The Indian batting hasn’t really clicked so far, but they would be licking their lips at the thought of facing a South African attack without Steyn, Morkel and Philander.
Ishant Sharma, India’s premier fast bowler, comes back after missing out the first match because of a suspension. Varun Aaron may the one to be replaced. South Africa will have JP Duminy back, who is a critical player for them as he fulfills two roles – one as a frontline batsman and the second as a decent off spinner. An exciting match is in prospect, let’s just pray that the rains keep away.
The Teams
India: 1 Shikhar Dhawan, 2 M Vijay, 3 Cheteshwar Pujara, 4 Virat Kohli (capt), 5 Ajinkya Rahane, 6 Wriddihiman Saha (wk), 7 Ravindra Jadeja, 8 Amit Mishra, 9 R Ashwin, 10 Umesh Yadav, 11 Ishant Sharma
South Africa: 1 Dean Elgar, 2 Stiaan van Zyl, 3 Faf du Plessis, 4 Hashim Amla (capt), 5 AB de Villiers, 6 JP Duminy, 7 Dane Vilas (wk), 8 Simon Harmer/Kyle Abbott, 9 Kagiso Rabada 10 Morne Morkel,11 Imran Tahir
Match Conditions
As said earlier, it has rained like cats and dogs in Bangalore for the past week and one can only hope that the weather gods show mercy and it stops raining tomorrow. There’s a little grass covering on the pitch, which we expect to be removed on the eve of the Test match. The pitch should offer help to the fast bowlers on the morning session of the first day, but following that, spinners will dominate the Test match.
Watch India play South Africa in the 2nd Test at Bangalore at 9:30 AM from 14 to 18 November, live on Start Sports!
