South Africa and India will square off in the 2nd of their two Test series kicking off on Wednesday night from Cape Town. We have a full preview and betting tips for the clash below.
South Africa vs India 2nd Test Betting Tips
Cape Town, Wednesday 3rd January, 7.00pm (AEDT)
1st Test Recap
South Africa were too good for the visitors in the first Test, maintaining their home field stranglehold over India to take a 1-0 series lead. Bowling first, South Africa were ahead of the game within the first hour of play as India fell to 3-24 in the early stages. A fighting hundred from KL Rahul gave India what looked to be a competitive total of 245 on a spicy deck. Kagiso Rabada was the pick of the bowlers, taking 5/59 off 20 overs including the big scalps of Sharma, Kohli and Iyer.
South Africa lost their skipper to a hamstring injury in the 1st innings, but he was not required with the bat as the home side piled on 9/408 on the back of a masterful innings from the retiring Dean Elgar. Talented youngster Marco Jansen also chipped in with 84, stranded not out just 16 short of his maiden Test century. Jasprit Bumrah was really the only defiant bowler for India, taking 4/69 off 26.4 overs.
The Indian 2nd innings got off to a tough start as they fell to 2/13 within the first few overs. A mini fightback from Virat Kohli saw him accumulate 76, but he had no help throughout the innings as just one other player surpassed double digit runs. The Indians were bowled out for just 131 with debutant Nandre Burger taking 4/33.
South Africa
There will be at least two changes for the home side, as Temba Bavuma has been ruled out for the 2nd Test with that lingering hamstring while young paceman Gerald Coetzee will also miss through a shoulder injury. The South Africans were likely to drop one of their pacemen for Keshav Maharaj anyway on the more spin friendly Cape Town wicket, so this makes the decision somewhat easier for selectors. Lungi Ngidi has also proven fitness, so could potentially force his way into this side. Zubayr Hamza has been added to the squad as a specialist bat but I actually think the South Africans will slide Marco Jansen back up to No.7, and add the extra bowler in place of Bavuma.
South Africa Predicted XI: Aiden Markram, Dean Elgar, Tony de Zorzi, Keegan Petersen, David Bedingham, Kyle Verreynne, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Nandre Burger, Lungi Ngidi
India
Despite some glaring issues with the bat in the 1st Test, I think the Indian top six is pretty set at this point. With the departures of Pujara and Rahane, the Indians seem determined to stick with Gill and Iyer in the three and five spots. Rohit Sharma's opening partner seems to be the only spot up for grabs at the moment, so we could see a change there potentially.
India will also likely bring Ravi Jadeja back in as a 2nd spinner given the Cape Town surface is more conducive to spin. Siraj, Bumrah and Kirshna should hole their spots.
India Predicted XI: Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, Ravi Jadeja, Ravi Ashwin, Jasprit Bumrah, Prasidh Krishna, Mohammed Siraj
Betting Tips
I actually think the Indians will bounce back and tie this series 1-1 with a win here. By all reports, the pitch in Cape Town is going to be more spin friendly, which should bring the Indians into the game with both the bat and the ball. The tandem spinners in Ashwin and Jadeja are one aspect of the game where the Indians have a massive advantage over South Africa. Look for them to exploit it here.
