South Africa vs India 2018: Ideal playing XI for the third Test

The hype has ended, and all Indian hopes of conquering the Rainbow Nation have been put off until the next tour. A visibly distraught captain Kohli has been handed his first series defeat and will be keen to avoid a whitewash.

Though the third Test is a dead rubber, India will aim to pull one back so that they can start the ODI series on a positive note.

Openers:

The biggest problem Indian batting has faced in this tour is the absence of long partnerships- both in terms of runs scored and time negotiated. South Africa's bowlers ensured the team never felt they were out of the contest, even though the batsmen continued gifting their wickets away at regular intervals. The openers were unable to curb their natural instincts and went for attacking shots off innocuous balls to gift their wickets away.

The best choice in such a case would be to choose two players whose natural inclination is to play the defensive game.

Murali Vijay:

Not a very promising show thus far

"The Monk" has had an ordinary series so far, but his defensive technique is still to be questioned. His 46 in the second Test was reassuring, but not quite enough. Analyzing his technique, he is perfect to see off the new-ball threat so that the middle order can cash-in on the opportunity.

On several occasions, the dismissal of one opener perturbs the other, leaving him vulnerable to attacking deliveries from the opposition. This has been the case for India, as three out of four occasions the second opener was dismissed within 5 runs of the fall of the first wicket. To prevent that, the second opener should also be someone with a comparable defensive skill set.

Cheteshwar Pujara:

He will be keen to erase these blunders from his memory with a vital knock

Cheteshwar Pujara has been the quintessential accumulator for India in the home season, as he scored a lot of runs at a decent pace. His characteristic grit and patience make him perfect for the longer format.

In all innings so far, Pujara was required to step into action early as the first couple of wickets did not fetch even a minimal amount of runs. He may have uncharacteristically wilted under pressure - perhaps the run-outs were results of this, but a couple of failures don't change him from what he is- a marathon player with an almost-perfect defensive approach. He can be the axis around which the rest of the Indian line-up can build a total.

Middle Order:

Virat Kohli:

He has been the lone bright spot

The run-machine has improved his technique in the longest format by leaps and bounds in the last two years and is currently posing a challenge to Steve Smith's undisputed numero uno status in Test cricket. His 153 in the second Test was the best batting display in the series by a mile.

He showed the intent that the rest of his pack lacked, with an amalgamation of caution and aggression. Though Lungi Ngidi got the better of him with a peach of a delivery, the Indian captain is known to be a quick learner, and the former may be found wanting against him in the third Test.

His captaincy and team selection have received plenty of undeserved flak, which is not uncommon considering the vociferous nature of Indian fans and cricketing fraternity. It is not a secret that pressure brings out the best in him and India desperately needs that to happen in order to salvage some pride from the dead rubber.

Ajinkya Rahane:

Rahane needs some backing from the management

Dropping Rahane was the decision that received the most vocal opposition. Though his current form can be hailed as the culprit, Rahane's stats on pitches outside the subcontinent dustbowls are nothing short of magical, and dropping him was always a big risk.

He deserved a comeback to the playing XI in the second test and excluding him for the third consecutive time may be a colossal blunder that can prove to be a blemish on Kohli's captaincy career forever. Rahane is the perfect man to steady the innings in case of a possible middle-order collapse or in the event of a failure by Captain Kohli.

Rohit Sharma:

His technique was never in doubt, but his temperament?

I may receive some negative comments for this opinion, but Rohit Sharma should not sit out in the third Test. Rohit never had a stable role in the team and was never given a long rope in the test scenario.

He has now shaped up well as a lower-order batsman who can score quick runs off the old ball (akin to Adam Gilchrist in the Australian squad) at least on home pitches.

In his last outing, Sharma has finally started showing signs of getting into his groove and sorting out a solid game plan and it will be unwise to drop him at this point if the team management considers him as a viable option for the future.

Lower Order:

Dinesh Karthik:

He made an ODI comeback in 2017, now can he seal the reserve 'keeper's spot?

Parthiv Patel was so sub-par with his glovework that Dinesh Karthik needed to be called from home to join the squad as he is clearly a safer bet behind the stumps. Though technically sound with above-average defensive skills, Karthik's batting heavily hinges on his counterattacking instincts, which makes him suitable as a lower order batsman.

The second wicketkeeper was never an issue when Dhoni was around, but currently, Saha is on another level compared to the second choice. In fact, Karthik only needs to be alert behind the stumps and score 40-50 runs to rest Parthiv's claim to the reserve keeper spot.

Hardik Pandya:

Pandya has talents, but he needs to work on them

Hardik Pandya's strategy is also similar, but because of his inadequate defensive skills. Pitches like the one in the first Test aid his style and thus he thrives on them, producing some exhilarating strokeplay.

The problem is that his batting is too one-dimensional. He will be a fish out of water in pitches where patience is the key. He may be able to land a few lucky blows but the bowler will be able to prise him out at the end. But Pandya is in the squad as a utility player.

Pandya's roles are to strike some quick runs towards the end of the innings and to be the optional fourth seamer - the latter to which he has not done enough justice. His temperament is also an issue, as at this point he seems to be satisfied with the one-dimensionality of batting and limited bowling variations like the overused off-cutter and short pitches.

As Kapil Dev duly pointed out, there is a thin line between confidence and arrogance, and Pandya should be aware of that.

Ravindra Jadeja:

Jadeja has had a special liking towards South Africans

Ravichandran Ashwin did return a four-wicket haul in the second Test, but not before he was made to toil for almost 40 overs.

In the second innings even when the other bowlers were better, Ashwin frequently erred in length in which the South African batsmen cashed in on. It would not be harmful to give Jadeja a chance, given his home and away record against South Africa.

Jadeja is slightly more attacking, and his left arm spin adds a variety to an attack that otherwise consists of four right arm pacers. His skills with the bat are also better than Ashwin's.

Bowlers:

Bhuvneshwar Kumar:

His swing makes him a potent force

Bhuvneshwar Kumar should replace Bumrah because the latter needs some rest. Bumrah has been tidy with the ball in the two Tests, but bowling almost 40 overs spread over two innings will take a toll on his shoulders, the part that bears the most stress in his slinging action.

In short, Jasprit Bumrah is an asset which should be used judiciously. Bhuvneshwar was the best performer with the ball in the first Test and can continue from where he left off from. Though he clocks in at the early 130s, his prodigious swing, which will be an asset especially in pitches conducive to bowling, makes up for it.

Mohammad Shami:

Though his stamina is a headache, Shami is the leader of the pace battery

The way he had Quinton de Kock dance to his tunes, it will be hard to leave Shami out of the squad. He is a genuine quickie who seems to be the most effective when used in frequent short spells. He and Bhuvneshwar have somewhat contrasting characters, as Shami relies more on his speed to outsmart the batsmen.

However, Shami cannot bowl long spells due to his ever-dodgy knee, but the presence of the next bowler makes up for the problem.

Ishant Sharma:

Ishant may be the containing option

Ishant Sharma's modus operandi is different from the other two. He has appreciable pace, but he tries to extract more bounce out of the surface, aided by his height.

This inclination makes him a hit-the-deck type bowler who can bowl marathon spells, thanks to his stamina. He will perform the role of the workhorse, operating from one end while Shami and Bhuvneshwar are shuffled in the other.