[Picture] Team India enjoys break day in South Africa ahead of Boxing Day Test

Team India enjoyed a break day in South Africa on Sunday ahead of the Boxing Day Test at SuperSport Park in Centurion on December 26.

In a picture shared on X (formerly Twitter), the visitors could be seen posing for a picture at what looked like an entrance to a zoo.

The group included India captain Rohit Sharma and his family (Ritika Sajdeh and Samaira Sharma), Shreyas Iyer, Jasprit Bumrah, and coaches Rahul Dravid, Paras Mhambrey, and Vikram Rathour, among others.

Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Jasprit Bumrah recently joined the team after a lengthy break following the World Cup. In their absence, Suryakumar Yadav and KL Rahul led the Men in Blue in a T20I (1-1) and ODI (won 2-1) series in South Africa.

The visitors will now be looking to register their first Test series win in South Africa. They lost 1-2 despite winning the opening Test in the Rainbow Nation during the 2021-22 tour.

“Pressure will be on Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli” – Gautam Gambhir wants batters to put on a show during South Africa Test series

Former India cricketer Gautam Gambhir reckons that Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli will have to deliver if the visitors want to win the Test series in South Africa. The cricketer-turned-commentator added that the Proteas pacers will challenge the Indian batting unit. He recently told Star Sports:

"I believe the pressure will be on Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli because they have that experience. Bowlers definitely win you the series in SA but if your batters don't put runs on the board, you won't be able to create pressure for your bowlers.”

He added:

"Pace, bounce and seam. I believe your batting will definitely be under pressure because SA probably do not have the same batting they had in 2011 but their bowling still has the might - (Kagiso) Rabada, (Gerald) Coetzee, (Nandre) Burger and Marco Jansen."

Gambhir also believes that the bowling unit will be tested in the absence of the injured Mohammed Shami. He said:

"The bowling will be under as much pressure because there will be expectations from bowling. If Mohammed Shami had been there, India would have been all-out favorites. Mohammed Siraj is still young. So, I believe your bowling will be tested as much as your batting."

In the batting department, Kohli and Sharma have contrasting records in South Africa. The former has amassed 719 runs in seven Tests at an average of 51.36, including two tons and three half-centuries. On the other hand, Sharma has managed just 123 runs in three Tests at an average of 15.38 without even a half-century to his name.