South Africa vs India 2018: 5 India players to watch out for in the Test series

The Indian team have been on a roll in Test cricket. Though they’ve largely played at home, they have managed to beat every team that they have faced in the last 2-3 years. From the start of 2015, India have lost only 2 Test matches (one against Sri Lanka at Galle and the other against Australia at Pune).

However, tougher challenges await the No. 1 Test team. In the next year and a half, India travel aboard and have tough tours of South Africa, England and Australia. And they start their away sojourn with a three-match Test series against the Rainbow Nation (January 5).

Hence, we look at 5 India players to watch out for in the upcoming Test series.

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#5 Bhuvneshwar Kumar

Bhuvneshwar has been bowling really well in all three formats.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar is one of the most improved bowlers in world cricket at the moment. While there was no doubt about his skill to move (swing) the ball both ways, his pace was down. He would often be the high 120s or low 130s (km/h).

However, over the past 18 months or so, Bhuvneshwar has worked hard and has added an extra yard of pace. He has also learned the art of bowling on pitches where there is little help. Now, he can also hit the deck hard and extract movement of the surface.

Moreover, the Uttar Pradesh lad has been in some very good form. He’s had a brilliant year in white-ball cricket where he’s formed a lethal pair with Jasprit Bumrah. But, his Test form has also been very good. Umesh Yadav and Mohammed Shami have generally been India’s preferred choice of pacers at home. However, whenever Bhuvneshwar has got his chance, he has delivered.

In 2016, he took a couple of crucial fifers (against West Indies and New Zealand). In 2017, he played only two Tests in the first half (out of 5) and looked in good rhythm (even though he didn’t get wickets). Then on a helpful track at the Eden Gardens (Kolkata), Bhuvneshwar led India’s fightback and almost won them the game in the final session (he took 4/88 and 4/8).

Thus, with the form Bhuvneshwar Kumar is in, India will be banking on him for breakthroughs with the new ball.

#4 Mohammed Shami

Shami has been India's first choice pacer in Tests in the last couple of years.

Mohammed Shami is probably the leader of this Indian pace attack. He is an automatic choice for India when it comes to picking fast bowlers.

The only problem with Shami has been his constant injuries. However, if he manages to stay fit, the 27-year old Bengal pacer can rattle the South African batsmen. His main strength is that he steams in, hits the deck hard and has the ability to consistently target the stumps. If the wickets turn out to be flat, Shami’s accuracy and pace can make a difference.

He has been in good form. The wickets column might not suggest how well he has bowled. In 5 games he played in 2017, he’s picked up 19 wickets. In the recent series against Sri Lanka at home, he took 9 wickets in two games and bowled with great control as well.

Shami did tour South Africa last time around (in 2013) but didn't have the best of series' as he took only 6 wickets in 4 innings. That was his first tour. But this time around, he is the leader of the pack and is going there with a decent amount of experience.

Hence, along with Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Shami will be vital to India’s success in South Africa.

#3 Ajinkya Rahane

Ajinkya Rahane has a very good overseas record.

India’s Test vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane has had a tough 2017 as far as red-ball cricket is concerned. Coming back from a finger injury, Rahane started 2017 with a fluent 82 against Bangladesh. But he hasn’t been able to be consistent since then. He did score a hundred in Sri Lanka (in the second Test), but his form has remained patchy.

In 2017, the Mumbai batsman has scored only 554 in 18 innings. And in his 6 innings, he hasn't crossed the 20-mark as well. Hence, he has been in poor form in the lead up to the all-important South Africa tour.

However, every time Rahane has been under pressure, he has delivered. On most occasions when India were under pressure especially overseas, Rahane has bailed them out. Hence, he relishes the challenges and he has been India’s go-to man outside the subcontinent.

The last time Rahane was in South Africa in 2013, he was coming in to fill the big shoes of the great Sachin Tendulkar. But now he is coming here as one of India’s best Test batsmen in recent times.

And he loves the challenge of playing away from home. In fact, he is one of the few players who have a better average playing away from home. His averages 33.63 at home and 53.44 overseas. Hence, Rahane is a vital cog in this Indian batting line-up and is certainly one of the players to watch out for in the series.

#2 Cheteshwar Pujara

Pujara is India's Mr. Dependable at No. 3.

Cheteshwar Pujara is the perfect man India can have at No. 3. He is a pretty calm and cool customer. With the bat, he is solid. His performances at No. 3 would be important for India and thus, he one of the players to watch out for in the series.

Like his skipper, Pujara also had a fabulous 2017. In 2017, he has scored 1140 runs in 11 Tests at an average of 67.06. He’s been India’s most dependable batsman in Tests.

Out of so many wonderful innings, he played in 2017, his 52 against Sri Lanka at the Eden Gardens (Kolkata) stands out. On the first couple of days when he was batting, it was overcast, the ball was seaming prodigiously and he stood there like a rock when wickets fell around him. Hence, it gave an indication that he is ready to face the South African challenge.

Also, Pujara has toured South Africa twice (once in 2010/11 and then in 2013). He was the highest run-scorer of the series in 2013 with 280 runs in 4 innings (average of 70.00). However, Pujara has faced a lot of criticism over his poor overseas record. He will be eager to silence his critics and prove that he can deliver away from home as well and continue his rich vein of form.

#1 Virat Kohli

Virat Kohli will be back in action after a month's break.

Virat Kohli has had a couple of fantastic years. In 2016 and 2017, he’s churned out runs at will, he has started converting hundreds to double-hundreds (one area he was poor at until 2015), he has scored over 1000 Test runs in consecutive years and he’s led the side well taking some tough calls.

Virat Kohli the batsman is in supreme form at the moment. His last four Test innings have been quite magnificent. He has scores of 104*, 213, 243 and 50 in his last four innings in the whites. The way he goes about his business in the middle in Test match cricket is simply remarkable. He respects the conditions at the start and tries to settle in. He seldom tries to hit the ball in the air (in Tests) and his main strength is his ability to rotate the strike. Hence, at No. 4 Virat Kohli will be crucial.

Not only as a batsman, Virat Kohli the captain will also be key in this series. In fact, a few decisions might define the series. Before the start of the series, he needs to figure out the combination to go in with (4 or 5 bowlers). He also needs to take a call on who would be his first choice spinner and also decide on who his 3 pacers would be. Although this problem of plenty is good, Kohli would need to take a call and hence, his captaincy will also play a crucial part.