India vs SA: South Africa win toss and elect to bowl; Prasidh Krishna makes test debut

South Africa won the toss and decided to bowl at the start of the first test on Tuesday. The toss for the test match which could script history for India's cricket team was delayed due to wet patches on the outfield.

"There is a bit of moisture in and around the wicket and we’d like to make good use of it," said South Africa skipper Temba Bavuma at the toss.

Overcast conditions were already foreshadowing the arrival of rain at the time of the clash.


Cricket enthusiasts are looking forward to this red-ball series owing to Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli's comeback after India's heartbreaking campaign at the ICC World 2023. Ravichandran Ashwin was picked instead of Ravindra Jadeja who is struggling with a back spasm.

Can India create history?
India squad is hoping to claim a first-ever series victory in a country where they have come close before, but fallen agonisingly short of the winning line. South Africa has been victors in seven of India’s eight visits since the first in 1992 with one series drawn in 2010/11, but six of those successes have been by a single win margin.

South Africa have won 22 of their 28 previous tests at Centurion, drawing three and losing three.

Hitman and current skipper Rohit Sharma on Monday said he wants his team to "achieve" what other Indian sides in the past have failed to do in South Africa.

Squads:
South Africa: Dean Elgar, Aiden Markram, Tony de Zorzi, Temba Bavuma (capt.), Keegan Petersen, David Bedingham, Kyle Verreynne, Marco Jansen, Gerald Coetzee, Kagiso Rabada, Nandre Burger.

India: Rohit Sharma (capt.), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, Ravichandran Ashwin, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna.
(with agency inputs)