India vs South Africa 2015 3rd Test Match: Preview, Team News, Live stream and TV Channel Info

Proteas need Amla and du Plessis to step up and perform

With the rain gods unlikely to play any part in the third Test that begins in Nagpur on Wednesday, South Africa will need to overcome their fear of spin to level the four-match Test series, which India currently lead 1-0.

To say the Proteas have been disappointing in the Test series after being so dominant in the shorter formats, would be an understatement.

A disappointing 108-run defeat in the first Test, where South Africa‘s batsmen struggled to overcome the demons in their minds, which created more trouble than the ones on the pitch, was followed by another poor batting display in the first innings of the washed out second Test in Bangalore.

While they have been unfortunate with injuries in their bowling department, the real worry has been the form of their batsmen. Apart from AB de Villiers, no one looks like they are going to stay in the crease for long enough to create too much trouble for India.

Hashim Amla, who has been the side’s best batsman across all formats along with AB, is yet to make a fifty on tour and Faf du Plessis, who batted brilliantly in the ODIs has combined for a solitary run in his three Test innings so far.

With the series still in the balance, the Proteas batsmen need to click, if they are to have any chance of saving some face from the series, let alone winning. And it will certainly help, if their captain, Amla can lead from the front.

Although India too are led by a player, who isn’t playing as well as he has in the last 18 months, the supporting cast have done more than enough to ensure that India are well-placed to clinch the series in Nagpur.

Murali Vijay and Cheteshwar Pujara have been brilliant with the bat and with the ball, India’s spin twins Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja have accounted for 24 of the 30 Proteas wickets to fall so far in the Test series.

With Shikhar Dhawan also finding some form, with some time in the middle in the second Test, India will be looking to put rain behind them and secure a series win over the No.1 ranked Test side, in Nagpur.

Broadcast Details

Date: November 25, Wednesday

Time: 9:30 A.M IST

TV Channel: Star Sports 1, HD1 (English) and 3, HD3 (Hindi)

Online Stream: www.starsports.com

Venue: Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium, Nagpur

Team News

India

While it was difficult to see India change a winning lineup from the first game, they did just that as they brought in Stuart Binny for Amit Mishra, as they thought the conditions demanded it.

With the Nagpur pitch unlikely to assist seamers, India might revert to a three-pronged spin attack with Ashwin, Jadeja and Mishra. On the fast bowling front, Ishant Sharma is certain to start, but who out of Varun Aaron or Umesh Yadav starts, is likely to come to a toss of the coin once again.

On the batting front, Dhawan’s knock in the second Test is likely to keep him in the side for the rest of the series at the very least and as a result, no further changes are expected.

South Africa

Although the Proteas welcomed back Morne Morkel and JP Duminy in the second Test, they are already without Vernon Philander, who has been ruled out of the series and their premier fast bowler, Dale Steyn, isn’t 100% fit yet. While Marchant de Lange has come in for Steyn, that is not where the problem lies for the visitors.

Their batsmen need to step up, especially the senior players. A slight change in the batting order might also help matters, with AB moving to No.3 and giving du Plessis, who is playing in his first Test series in India, some more protection, by batting at No.5.

Predicted line-ups:

India: Shikhar Dhawan, Murali Vijay, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli(Captain), Ajinkya Rahane, Wriddhiman Saha(wicketkeeper), Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin, Amit Mishra, Ishant Sharma, Varun Aaron.

South Africa: Dean Elgar, Stiaan Van Zyl, Hashim Amla(Captain), Faf du Plessis, AB De Villiers, JP Duminy, Dane Vilas(wicketkeeper), Kyle Abbott, Kagiso Rabada, Morne Morkel, Imran Tahir.

Pitch & Conditions

With no rain predicted over the course of the Test, expect the pitch to behave much like the one at Mohali. The pitch is expected to turn right from the first day and with the sun beating down, batting is likely to get tougher as the game progresses as the cracks get wider.

India’s record at Nagpur: Matches: 4 Won: 2 Lost: 1 Drawn: 1

South Africa’s record at Nagpur: Matches:1 Won:1 Lost: 0 Drawn: 0

Recent Form

India: D-W-W-W-L

South Africa: D-L-D-D-W

Key Stats

1. South Africa have a 100% winning record at Nagpur, having won their only game at the ground in 2010
2. Since 2006, when they lost in Sri Lanka, the Proteas haven’t lost two Tests in an away series. Since their international return, they have lost two or more Tests in an away series only six times.
3. Virat Kohli is 176 runs away from completing 3000 Test runs and Umesh Yadav only needs two more wickets to reach 50 Test scalps.