IND vs SA Pitch report: South Africa are all set to host India in the first Test match at Centurion's SuperSport Park starting on Tuesday, December 26. The Boxing Day Test will be crucial for the Indian team as they remain without a Test series win in the Rainbow Nation.
India have recorded only four wins in 23 Test matches played in South Africa. However, they have won three of their last five Test encounters against the Proteas, including a Boxing Day clash at SuperSport Park during the 2021/22 tour under Virat Kohli's captaincy.
Rohit Sharma-led side is expected to field a new-look playing XI with veterans Ajinkya Rahane, Cheteshwar Pujara and Mohammed Shami missing out. For South Africa, premier pacers Kagiso Rabada and Lungi Ngidi are expected to make a comeback after missing the white-ball series against India while youngster Tristan Stubbs in contention for Test debut.
SuperSport Park, Centurion Pitch Report
Centurion's SuperSport Park offers a good amount of help for pace bowlers in red-ball cricket. The pitch curator has revealed that both teams can expect a pace-friendly surface from Day 1. India head coach Rahul Dravid also confirmed extra bounce and seam for the bowlers.
Pacers have always been dominant at SuperSport Park and both teams are expected to utilize extra pace option in their bowling attack in the Boxing Day Test. However, the batters are also tipped to score big runs once the ball gets old. The rain is expected to play spoilsport on the first two days so seamers might get more help due to moisture on the surface from Day 3.
SuperSport Park, Centurion - The Numbers Game
Test Stats
Total Test matches - 28
Matches won batting first - 13
Matches won bowling first - 11
Average 1st Inns scores - 329
Average 2nd Inns scores - 316
Average 3rd Inns scores - 230
Average 4th Inns scores - 162
Highest total recorded - 621/10 by South Africa vs Sri Lanka in December 2020
Lowest total recorded - 101/10 by England vs South Africa in February 2003
IND vs SA, 1st Test Squads:
India Test Squad: Rohit Sharma (c), Shubman Gill, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (wk), Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, Mohammed Siraj, Mukesh Kumar, Jasprit Bumrah (VC), Prasidh Krishna, KS Bharat (wk), Abhimanyu Easwaran
South Africa Test squad: Temba Bavuma (c), David Bedingham, Nandre Burger, Gerald Coetzee, Tony de Zorzi, Dean Elgar, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Aiden Markram, Wiaan Mulder, Lungi Ngidi, Keegan Petersen, Kagiso Rabada, Tristan Stubbs (wk), Kyle Verreynne (wk)
