South Africa vs India 2018: Scientific Astrologer predicts best Indian playing XI to win final Test

After the Test series debacle in South Africa, Virat Kohli lashed out at the reporters and retorted, ‘name your 11 and I will play them’. Well, astrologically speaking, Virat had the best XI players at his disposal who could have won the Test series for him. But India have squandered the chance of winning the series by not playing them.

Now, there is one Test match to go. I, for one, hope Virat plays the best XI and spares the Indians the embarrassment of being white-washed.

Astrologically, these XI players should take the field for the third Test:

1. Ajinkya Rahane – Deep inside, Kohli would know that he committed a blunder by not playing the player with the best overseas record in the first two games. The question now is whom should he replace? He needs to replace Murali Vijay. 1984-born Vijay has a horoscope which doesn’t gel well with the rest of his teammates.

If he plays, even if he ends up being the top scorer, collectively the team will fail. Rahane, born in 1988, is the best option to play in a winning series. As a series win is not possible now, he should play at least the final match.

2. K.L. Rahul – How good are his wicket-keeping skills? If they are good enough, then he should play as the wicket-keeper. Here, there is no astrology at play, but plain common sense. If he cannot play as a wicket-keeper, then India need another player. Rahul is the best astrological bet to open with Ajinkya Rahane. Together, they can put up a good opening stand.

3. Cheteshwar Pujara

4. Virat Kohli

5. Rohit Sharma – It is really unfair that Rohit is being targeted and brandished a ‘flat-track bully’. His horoscope is the second best, only behind Virat. Do not forget that he has won three IPLs as captain. He has the luck factor with him. Just give him enough chances and he will prove that he can shine overseas too.

By the way, he was the highest scorer in the second innings of the second match. It’s not a trade-off between Rohit and Ajinkya. Both need to be in the team to enhance the astrological balance.

6. Hardik Pandya

7. Ravichandran Ashwin

8. Ravindra Jadeja/Umesh Yadav/Dinesh Karthik/Parthiv Patel

This is the most contentious slot and should go to the right person depending on a few factors. If K.L. Rahul can keep wickets, then this slot opens up. Then, depending on the surface, India can play either Ravindra Jadeja as the additional spinner (remember Ashwin was unplayable in the first match) or Umesh Yadav as the additional pacer.

Umesh definitely has a better horoscope than Ishant Sharma. Ishant has got enough chances and Umesh should get a go, ahead of Ishant. Umesh has it in him to do what Bhuvneshwar Kumar did in the first innings of the first match.

If a specialist wicket-keeper has to be played, then there is not much to choose from between Dinesh Karthik and Parthiv Patel, as both were born in 1985. Both will do a good enough job.

9. Bhuvneshwar Kumar – It was completely illogical to drop the best bowler and probably the best batsman of the first match. Also, he has an extraordinarily good horoscope. He needs to be there in the playing XI.

10. Mohammed Shami

11. Jasprit Bumrah

Virat Kohli has asked us to name our best playing XI. We have named the best astrological XI for him. Virat, of course, will make his own decisions. Let us hope his playing XI matches the best astrologically balanced team that we have named.