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

One of the most anticipated series of 2018 is about to begin in three days with South Africa hosting India for three Tests, which precede 6 ODIs and 3 T20Is.

The hosts have problems of their own to solve: injuries, form and the maintenance of the quota system in the playing eleven.

Amidst all this, the spotlight will be on the following 5 South African players.

#5 Temba Bavuma

The only one in the South African middle-order to be under pressure after a string of low scores is Temba Bavuma. Having registered his first Test hundred against England at Cape Town in January 2016, Bavuma is yet to reach triple figures since then.

Though he has got off to many starts and formed a crucial association with Quinton de Kock in the middle, he is feeling the heat of having scored nine fifties but only a single hundred.

With AB de Villiers returning to the line-up, Bavuma is under further pressure; the one thing that may go in his favour, however, could be the quota issue where South Africa are required to play at least six players of colour in the eleven, out of which two must be black Africans.

#4 Keshav Maharaj

Keshav Maharaj took two five-fors in New Zealand and is yet to play India in any format

The rising left-arm spinner has found noticeable success in the limited number of Tests that he has played. Having debuted against Australia at Perth in 2016, Maharaj has also played New Zealand and England in their own den bowling wicket-taking lines persistently.

He took two five-fors in New Zealand – that included a career-best 6/40 at Wellington – and performed a holding role with perfection on the dry pitches of England, something which allowed the pacers to bowl an attacking line with freedom. A similar role will be expected from him at home against an opposition renowned for playing spin well and who he is yet to face in his short career.

#3 Aiden Markram

Aiden Markram started his Test career with a bang.

South Africa's latest opener post the retirement of Graeme Smith, the 23-year old Aiden Markram has started his Test career with a bang: 97, 15 and 143 against Bangladesh to go with 125 against Zimbabwe.

However, there lies the danger. Without demeaning the bowling attack of those two teams, it is a given that India's bowling will pose a much bigger threat, especially with the new ball, as they have Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Mohammad Shami in their squad.

Markram enters the series averaging 95 but may find it extremely challenging to maintain his momentum, hoping to strengthen his position on the side.

#2 Dale Steyn

Dale Steyn has had his share of injuries in the recent past

One of the most fearsome fast bowlers of the modern day, Dale Steyn, like a few other pacers, has had his share of injuries in the recent times. Having severely fractured his shoulder during his last outing for South Africa in November 2016, Steyn has struggled for fitness. An ageing body – he turned 34 last June – has also gone against him, and it was an illness that kept him out of the Zimbabwe Test match.

With 417 Test wickets against his name at a staggering average of 22, Steyn remains dangerous provided he is able to stay fit. The short ball and the bouncer will come into good effect with the Indian batsmen known to falter against those deliveries.

#1 AB de Villiers

Before playing Zimbabwe recently, AB de Villiers' last Test came in January 2016

Perhaps the player grabbing the most attention across both sides, the returning AB de Villiers will be under the scanner, having just come back into the Test team. Before playing Zimbabwe in the four-day Test recently, his last Test came as far back as in January 2016 after which he got injured and then took a sabbatical from the format citing excessive workload.

But ironically, he ended up as South Africa's captain as well as wicket-keeper against Zimbabwe, in which he scored 53. While that will be encouraging for the hosts, what might put them in a fuss would be how they would accommodate regular captain Faf du Plessis, who was forced to miss that match out of an infection.

De Villiers averages 40 against India, but that apart, his ability to dig in and destroy the opposition's bowling will also be considered.