Steyn-less SA look for balance to rebound

November 14-18, 2015
Start time 0930 local (0400GMT)

While Bangalore is set to break a 100-year-old rain record for the month of November, South Africa are facing their worst drought in more than two decades. What an apt metaphor that is for the status of the ongoing series. The hosts are swimming through calm waters, after their success in the first Test while the visitors are negotiating choppy seas of spin even as they are parched for players.

This is only the second Test but already South Africa have a fourth injury on their books. After JP Duminy and Morne Morkel had to sit out in Mohali with a hand and quad problem respectively, and Dale Steyn suffered a groin injury mid-Test, now Vernon Philander has been ruled out of the series with torn ankle ligaments. That the majority of the wounded are South Africa's premier pacemen tells you the seriousness of the predicament they find themselves in. Their team balance has been thrown as they grapple with how to accommodate enough batsmen and enough spinners while still maintaining their firepower.

India do not have the same concerns. Although their batting underwhelmed in Mohali, it came good when it needed to and their bowlers drowned out any concerns by overpowering the opposition. They made full use of the home advantage India are using as their 12th man, which allows them more flexibility in team composition terms. They may still relook at the length of their batting line-up, especially as the remaining matches may not all be as low-scoring as the first one was, but will still feel they have the upper hand in the series. All South Africa are hoping is that it will rain sometime soon.

(last five completed games, most recent first)
India WWWLD
South Africa LDDWD

It can be lonely being a seamer in a spinner's game but Ishant Sharma has found a way. He plucked 13 wickets at 23.23 in Sri Lanka in August - which included his 200th Test wicket - to usher India to a series win and he will be back to lead the attack at home. Ishant was suspended for one match after having too much too say too often to the Sri Lankan batsmen which will only add to the spice of the contest against South Africa, a team he would want to improve his record against. Ishant has 20 South African wickets from eight previous Tests against them at an average of 47.95 - his worst against any opposition.

On the occasion of his 100th Test, all eyes would be trained on AB de Villiers who is also South Africa's most in-form batsman. De Villiers was their only player who had some measure of the slow Mohali surface, where he showed composure and class even as the spinners ran riot. He has already scored more than 1000 runs in ODIs this year and is in fine form across formats. Coupled with his intention to do "whatever it takes" to get South Africa back into the game, all indications are that we can expect something big from de Villiers at his adopted home ground.

Ishant has served his suspension and should slot straight back into the XI, probably at Varun Aaron's expense. India's insistence on five bowlers will mean Umesh Yadav operates as the other seamer alongside three specialist spinners, and the net sessions also suggested so. Captain Virat Kohli said on Friday "don't be surprised if Gurkeerat plays very soon."

India: (probable) 1 Shikhar Dhawan, 2 M Vijay, 3 Cheteshwar Pujara, 4 Virat Kohli (capt), 5 Ajinkya Rahane, 6 Wriddihiman Saha (wk), 7 Ravindra Jadeja, 8 Amit Mishra, 9 R Ashwin, 10 Umesh Yadav, 11 Ishant Sharma

With Vernon Philander ruled out of the series and Dale Steyn out of the match, South Africa will be down to just one of their premier pacers in the fit again Morne Morkel, who will lead the attack. Kagiso Rabada and Kyle Abbott, who flew in as Philander's replacement on Thursday "will be ready" according to Hashim Amla, are the only other two seam-bowling options. That will leave them with space for only one specialist spinner because JP Duminy is certain to be back after recovering from a cut on his hand. Duminy will ensure the batting line-up is lengthened with seven specialist batsmen in the team and will have to bowl offspin to provide South Africa with another slower-bowling option.

South Africa: (probable) 1 Dean Elgar, 2 Stiaan van Zyl, 3 Faf du Plessis, 4 Hashim Amla (capt), 5 AB de Villiers, 6 JP Duminy, 7 Dane Vilas (wk), 8 Simon Harmer/Kyle Abbott, 9 Kagiso Rabada 10 Morne Morkel,11 Imran Tahir

Rain over the last week has meant the pitch has not had an opportunity to bake but K Sriram, the curator, has calmed concerns of an undercooked surface. He began preparation on November 1 from under a tent. The grass covering is set to disappear before the match starts but it could be the overhead conditions which may have more of an impact. Dense cloud cover and high humidity could mean swing through the air. Wet weather is predicted for the middle three days of the match with the first and last day forecast as dry.

"As a team, we've all enjoyed the fact that AB is playing his 100th game. We've celebrated that and hopefully AB gets onto the park tomorrow and has a wonderful game for us and we win the Test match. That would be an ideal game for him and for us. It's great to have him playing his 100th game and for us to have something to celebrate but in terms of it taking our focus off the game, I dont think it has.
Hashim Amla says AB de Villiers' 100th Test has not been a distraction for South Africa in the build up to the Bangalore Test