South Africa vs India Tests 2013: 5 battles that will decide the series outcome

Graeme Smith vs Mahendra Singh Dhoni

Both the skippers will want to get their tactics and team composition right ahead of an all important Test series.

Graeme Smith might be pondering of going into the Test match with an all-out pace attack, thus disallowing the Indian batsmen with any kind of breathing space. That could be the only talking point as far as South Africa’s team composition goes.

MS Dhoni on the other hand, has plenty of things to worry about. Zaheer Khan should in all probability lead the Indian pace attack, and Shami should be an automatic choice for the 2nd fast bowler in the side. You would believe, Ishant Sharma will get the 3rd bowler’s slot ahead of Umesh Yadav, having made a good impression in the washed out 3rd ODI in Centurion.

Also, will Dhoni take the gamble of persisting with Jadeja at no.6 in the batting order, or does he take the more conventional route of injecting a proper batsman in the form of Ajinkya Rahane? Jadeja will give him the 5th bowlers’ option, but in South African conditions and with the way Indian batsmen have fared in the ODI series, Dhoni will want to take a good hard look at his team composition.

As it seems, Graeme Smith should have a calm Test series, with not a lot of things to worry about. It’s up to MS Dhoni to do the running, if he wants to add another feather to his cap by becoming the first Indian captain to win a Test series in the rainbow nation.

Pulling the curtains

Team India and MS Dhoni have a colossal task on their hands, but I don’t mind putting my money on the current lot to do the unthinkable.

Vamos Mahi & Co.