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Former India's star opener Gautam Gambhir has selected his preferred Indian XI for the upcoming first Test against South Africa. The Boxing Day Test between India and South Africa is slated to kick start from December 26 at Supersport Park in Centurion, starting.
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Gambhir has shown confidence in Rohit Sharma and Yashasvi Jaiswal to lead the innings as openers in the Centurion Test. Both players have been in impressive form in recent Test matches and are expected to play key roles in both encounters. Rohit is a proven performer in Tests and the upcoming matches in South African conditions will be a significant test for him. Jaiswal, meanwhile, will be playing his first Test in such conditions. Opening the innings is always a challenge, but Gambhir believes the pair are well-prepared for it.
Gambhir finds Shubman Gill as a perfect fit for no.3 position in India's batting line-up. Gill, stepping in for Cheteshwar Pujara, is keen to prove his worth. His previous performance in the West Indies at no.3 position wasn't that impressive, which makes this series of paramount importance for him.
For the no.4 spot, Gambhir has no reservations about selecting Virat Kohli. Kohli's impressive track record in South Africa, boasting an average of over 50, is a key factor. His performance will be crucial for India's chances of winning the series.
Gambhir has placed his faith in Shreyas Iyer and KL Rahul for the no.5 and no.6 positions, respectively. The duo are expected to play an instrumental role India's middle-order, and much of the team's success will depend on their performance. Their roles in the lineup are considered essential for the team.
The 42-year-old chose to go with a single spinner in his lineup but was uncertain about whether to select Ravindra Jadeja or Ravichandran Ashwin for the role. He supported the inclusion of Shardul Thakur as the seam-bowling all-rounder in the team, noting Thakur's impressive performances overseas with both bat and ball.
Gambhir also anticipates that Prasidh Krishna will receive his debut cap and join Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj as a fast bowler in the team. He believes the fast bowlers will play a critical role for the team in the challenging South African conditions.
This is how Gautam Gambhir’s playing XI for 1st Test against South Africa looks like:
Rohit Sharma (c), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, Ravindra Jadeja/R Ashwin, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Prasidh Krishna, Mohammed Siraj.
Rohit Sharma's brigade are eyeing their first-ever Test series win over Proteas on South African soil. In India's eight tours to South Africa since their initial visit in 1992, the home team has emerged victorious in seven, with the series in 2010/11 ending in a draw. Notably, six of these South African victories were by a narrow margin of just one win.
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