Former cricketer VVS Laxman revealed his Indian combination for the Test series against South Africa, leaving out vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane from the team. The Virat Kohli-led side will play three Tests and three ODIs against the Proteas.
The tour will kick start with the Boxing Day Test from December 26 at SuperSport Park, Centurion followed by the second Test at Johannesburg from January 3 to 7. The final Test will take place in Cape Town from January 11 to 15.
The three-ODI series will be played from 19th January to 23rd January.
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The Indian squad for the Test series is expected to be announced soon and with senior players not being in the greatest form, there are a lot of speculations about who will make it to the squad for the South Africa tour.
There’s no doubt that Indian management will have a selection dilemma after the way young players performed in the recently concluded Test series against New Zealand. On the other hand, many fans and pundits have already started to name their Indian XI for the first Test against South Africa.
Speaking on Star Sports, VVS Laxman while naming his Indian combination for the Test series against South Africa said that Ajinkya Rahane cannot play in the first match. He stressed that continuity is important and Shreyas Iyer, who scored a century and a half-century on debut, should be given that continuity and confidence as a young batter.
"According to me, Ajinkya Rahane cannot play in the first match. Continuity is very important, so I will play Shreyas Iyer because if you give someone two Test matches and the way he batted on debut under pressure. He scored a century and a half-century, so I will give that continuity, the confidence that you want to give to a young batsman, I will definitely give that," VVS Laxman said.
Laxman while keeping Virat Kohli’s combination of playing 5 batters and wicket-keeper Rishabh Pant in mind, backed Hanuma Vihari to be in the squad.
"I will definitely include Hanuma Vihari in the squad because with what combination does Virat Kohli play. We have seen that top five will be batters, Rishabh Pant at No.6 as a wicketkeeper-batsman," he said.
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VVS Laxman further named Ravindra Jadeja as the all-rounder in the team, who’ll bat at 7, and also picked the combination of three pacers and one spinner in R Ashwin for the Tests against South Africa.
"Jadeja can play as an all-rounder because he performs with the bat as well and you can't take Jadeja lightly as a batsman anymore, even in overseas conditions. So Jadeja will be at No.7 and after that, four bowlers - three fast bowlers and Ravichandran Ashwin. So this will be the combination,” he said.
(Star Sports inputs)
