The Hindu
WAITING IN THE WINGS: Gurkeerat Singh turning his arm over during practice, as teammates Ravindra Jadeja, R. Ashwin and Amit Mishra along with bowling coach B. Arun look on, has come in for praise from skipper Virat Kohli and could get a chance in the second Test begining on Saturday. Photo: K. Bhagya PrakashDuminy’s return brings some cheer to Amla; Gurkeerat could get a look-in
India and South Africa left Mohali in a hurry, their meeting wound up inside three days on a pitch neither set of batsmen truly managed to master.
They now meet on the other side of Diwali, under bleak skies with a bleaker forecast for the week ahead. The second Test of the Paytm Freedom Series begins at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium here on Saturday, with rain predicted to exert a definite influence on proceedings.
South Africa’s hopes of a turnaround in the series have suffered a severe blow with the absence of Dale Steyn and Vernon Philander. Steyn has failed to recover from his groin injury while the latter is on his way back home after tearing ankle ligaments on Thursday.
It is a cruel irony, South Africa will feel, that in what are perhaps the most favourable conditions its seamers will encounter on tour, it does not have its best new-ball operators available.
Team India upbeat
India has no such worries. The team is in good spirits after victory in the first Test, although that win was not achieved without its hiccups. Virat Kohli admitted afterwards that his batsmen “made errors in shot judgement”.
With the exception of M. Vijay, Cheteshwar Pujara and — after a fashion – Ravindra Jadeja, India’s batsmen did not appear entirely at ease against Dean Elgar and Imran Tahir.
Shikhar Dhawan must feel the weight of his twin failures last week. He may not find himself out of favour just yet, but with Rohit Sharma (fresh off a century against Uttar Pradesh) and K.L. Rahul waiting in the wings, there is little room for error.
India took the somewhat unusual step of calling up Gurkeerat Singh as an addition to the squad on Thursday. Kohli was complimentary about him in his pre-match press briefing on Friday, saying he was “certainly in the mix of things” and calling him a cricketer who could balance the team. “Don’t be surprised,” he said, “if you see him playing very soon.”
It is not improbable that Gurkeerat, who returned match figures of nine for 52 for Punjab against Andhra in his last Ranji Trophy game, will make his Test debut on Saturday.
Ishant Sharma will be welcomed back in after his one-match ban, with either of Varun Aaron or Umesh Yadav to make way. Should India choose to hand Gurkeerat a first cap, it will be interesting to note if he features as the fourth spinner, with Ishant the only seam bowler, or in Amit Mishra’s stead.
There will be turn: of that there is no doubt. Jadeja and R. Ashwin, who has now taken a remarkable 44 wickets in his last seven Tests, will be eager to have a go again.
Morkel fit to play
South Africa, meanwhile, will replace Philander and Steyn with Kyle Abbott and Morne Morkel, who has recovered from a quad strain.
Abbott, who last played a Test in December 2014 and three days ago was out fishing in Durban, flew in only on Friday morning. Hashim Amla, though, was confident he would hit the ground running.
“When he puts his boots on he is ready,” he said, “even if he gets off the plane 10 minutes before he bowls the first ball.”
The return of the multi-skilled J-P. Duminy will bring some relief.
The majority of South Africa’s batsmen appeared clueless against spin in Mohali. They needed to play the ball that was, Amla said, and not the ball they imagined it to be. A.B. de Villiers briefly showed them how.
South Africa will hope that it is not another fire-fighting effort from de Villiers they will remember his hundredth Test for.
The teams (from):
India: Virat Kohli (capt.), Murali Vijay, Shikhar Dhawan, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane, Rohit Sharma, Wriddhiman Saha, R. Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Amit Mishra, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Umesh Yadav, K.L. Rahul, Stuart Binny, Varun Aaron, Ishant Sharma, and Gurkeerat Singh Mann.
South Africa: Hashim Amla (capt.), A.B. de Villiers, Kyle Abbott, Temba Bavuma, J-P. Duminy, Faf du Plessis, Dean Elgar, Simon Harmer, Imran Tahir, Morne Morkel, Dane Piedt, Kagiso Rabada, Dale Steyn, Stiaan van Zyl, and Dane Vilas.
Umpires: Ian Gould and Richard Kettleborough; Third umpire: C. Shamshuddin. Match referee:Jeff Crowe.
Play starts at 9.30 a.m.
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