South Africa vs India 2018 : 5 players who can ensure India's first ever test series win against the Proteas

Team India has been in scintillating form in the longer format of the game over the last year and a half. India currently holds the top spot in the ICC test rankings. Virat Kohli and his men have been invincible during the entire Indian home season. They are on an unbeaten streak of seven consecutive test series wins. However, the team is well aware that the tour to South Africa might be the series that actually defines the potential of the Indian side and where it goes in the coming years. India's tour of South Africa is the first stop for Team India on their overseas test endeavor for the next 12 months.

Here's looking at 5 key Indian players who can guide India to their first ever test series victory in South Africa:

#1 Virat Kohli

India playing a series and Kohli not carrying the maximum expectations, is that even possible? That is why, for India to win their first-ever test series in South Africa, the team would have high expectations from their skipper. Kohli has scored a truckload of runs across all formats and is currently in the form of his life. He has also had a good record in South Africa. He is at the peak of his game and understands it better than anyone. The Indian captain would know how important it is for him to fire for India to have a chance of defeating South Africa in their own den.

#2 Cheteshwar Pujara

Cheteshwar Pujara- The new wall of the Indian Team

Pujara is the highest run scorer in tests in 2017. With the kind of form he is in and the solidity he brings to the top order, India would be hoping that he continues to spend hours at the crease and score big hundreds. A solid Pujara tiring the bowlers at one end is the perfect scenario for the rest of the batting line up to revolve around. Pujara was one of the batsmen who did well on India's last tour to South Africa. He has the patience that could help team India put big scores on the board.

#3 Umesh Yadav

Umesh Yadav has been bowling quick and been amongst the wickets.

A firing Umesh Yadav with his reverse swing could be India's answer to someone like a Kagiso Rabada or Dale Steyn in the oppositions arsenal. He has been playing the second fiddle to Indian spinners during the home season. Now, he might be the lead of the pack. Umesh Yadav has been a much more disciplined and dangerous bowler in recent past. Pitches in South Africa have fast pace and bounce which suits Yadav's bowling well. His pace has gone up and he is no more wayward in his line and length. Kohli and the rest of the team would be hoping Yadav could send a few stumps rolling at crucial phases of the game.

#4 Ravichandran Ashwin

Ashwin would be looking to prove his best spinner in the world tag

The last time Ashwin toured South Africa, it was a major low in his career. He was dropped from the side. However, since then the premier Indian off-spinner has come a long way. He has turned and twisted a lot of batsman in India, however, he might well be itching to prove that he has the ability to win games for India on alien tracks too. Ashwin should enjoy the bounce on the South African tracks. The more experienced Ashwin, being the thoughful bowler that he is, would be looking to find a way to trouble the South African batsmen more often than not. If he is able to break partnerships at regular intervals, that might prove to be the X-factor India needs.

#5 Shikhar Dhawan

Shikhar Dhawan has been amongst the runs recently

Shikhar Dhawan has been in fine form. He has been scoring a lot of runs for the team across all formats and at a quick rate as well. An attacking start from India's aggressive opener upfront may go a long way in setting a platform for the batsman to follow for the rest of the series. With the kind of batsman he is, India would hope Dhawan could upset the rhythm of South African pacers and get India off to a flier to gain momentum early in the game.

OPINION

The key to winning a series overseas is being able to take 20 wickets. Team India is traveling with a very skilled bowling attack. This is the first time India has a very strong bench of fast bowlers to pick from. This might be India's best chance ever at defeating South Africa in South Africa. This team is one of the strongest Indian teams to be touring the African country in the recent past. Virat Kohli and his men might not start as firm favorites, but they are not underdogs by any means either.

This time, the feeling around cricketing circles is that India might just be able to win their first series in South Africa.