3rd Test: Predicted Indian line-up against SA

The 3rd Test between South Africa and India is all set to start from the 11th of January.

Both teams will clash in the series decider to win the series as the series is tied at 1-1.

India registered a commanding and comfortable victory in the First Test match while South Africa made a great comeback in the 2nd Test match, completing a historic win against the India at Johannesburg.

Virat Kohli missed the 2nd Test match due to an injury but the Indian skipper is now declared fit and he will be back into the side as a captain in the 3rd Test.

He will most probably replace Hanuma Vihari in the playing XI.

The luck is against Hanuma Vihari once again as he will be dropped from the 11 even after performing well in the 2nd Test.

He is a very talented player but unfortunately, he is unable to become a regular member of the team due to the depth in Indian bench strength.

Mohammed Siraj will also miss the 3rd Test due to a hamstring injury, he also struggled to bowl in the 2nd Test due to this injury.

It will be tough for the team management to choose between Ishant Sharma and Umesh Yadav in place of Siraj in the last test match.

Ishant Sharma will most probably get the chance to play in the team in place of Siraj due to his experience in the South African conditions.

So, here is the most Predicted playing 11 of team India for the 5th Test.

The Openers

KL Rahul and Mayank Agarwal will open the innings for Team India without any doubt.

Both of them are in brilliant form in this series especially Rahul who has already scored a hundred and a superb half-century in this series.

His hundred helped the Indian team to win the first Test match.

Agarwal is also in a good form but unfortunately, he failed to convert his good starts into big hundreds in the series.

Middle-order

The middle order of team India will include Chateshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli, Ajinkya Rahane and Rishabh Pant.

Pujara hasn’t been in great form from the last two years but he played a handy knock alongside Rahane in the second Test match.

The Indian skipper, Virat Kohli will be looking to start 2022 superbly by scoring a big hundred in this match as 2021 was a very bad year for him.

Rishabh Pant will be the wicketkeeper for the India in the 3rd match but he will be under huge pressure to score runs without playing a loose shot.

All-rounders 

Shardul Thakur and Ravichandran Ashwin will be the all-rounders for Team India in the 3rd Test.

Thakur has bowled a magnificent spell of bowling in the second Test match, he picked up a record 7 wicket haul at the Johannesburg.

Ashwin has only picked up 2 wickets in the series so far but India needs him not only in the bowling department but also in the batting department.

Ashwin is a handy number 7 batter in Test cricket.

Fast Bowling department

Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammad Shami, and Ishant Sharma will lead India’s fast bowling department.

Bumrah is bowling brilliantly in this series so far but unfortunately, he hasn’t picked up many wickets.

Shami bowled superbly in the 1st Test match and helped his side to win the match.

The fast bowling lineup will become more stronger after the addition of the experienced Ishant Sharma in the side.