5 key battles to look forward to in the India-South Africa Test series

The first ever Gandhi-Mandela test series is just around the corner as two of the globe’s top cricketing nations, India and South Africa, lock horns in one of the toughest battles of this year. Coming into the test format after a loss in the T20 and ODI series, India shall be waiting to avenge the loss. The ODI series was a fight that went to the wire and spiced up things ahead of the test series.The visitors, needless to say, are seated comfortably at the top of the rankings table, courtesy to top class players. South Africa shall be playing only its second test of the year while India is coming in after a historic feat against Sri Lanka.While these factors reside on one side, on the other side we have the individual battles between the players taking the field. For instance, Kohli is breaking records at the speed of rockets, while Amla is busy breaking those at the speed of light. Jadeja is returning to the team with 35 wickets in 7 Ranji matches while Tahir is waiting to welcome him.However, will these be the most mouth-watering battles during the series? May or may not be. So, here is a list of the top 5 battles to watch out for in the upcoming test series.

#1 Murali Vijay-Hashim Amla

This ‘opening’ clash shall be a vital match decider for both the teams. The stylish right-hander from Chennai has been the anchor of the Indian batting lineup ever since his resurrection a couple of years back while Amla, undoubtedly, is Vijay’s counterpart in the Protean side.

Both the players share the trait that they have mastered the art of soaking up the pressure and playing like a patient monk. The sub-continent has been one of Amla’s favorite hunting grounds and hardly could the Indian bowlers forget the nightmare he ‘offered’ them in 2010 when he was dismissed just once in four innings. However, a fair streak of runs in the limited over matches has pushed the Protean skipper into a bit of pressure and the need to make a comeback is elevating day by day.

It is on these two that their respective team’s chances of getting off to a good start resides. A battle between these two has never been witnessed before and might prove to be one of the toughest ones if both get the momentum going.

#2 Virat Kohli-AB de villiers

Nobody would call this an unexpected pair in this list. The debate on who the better of these two is, has become quite old now but the fire was never put off as both kept proving themselves in one match after the other. Ever since Kohli was named the Indian captain, his game has drastically improved in every match he played. Shouldering the burden, he has led the fight numerous times now.

De Villiers, on the other hand, is someone who needs no introduction. The Indian crowd loves him as much as they love any other Indian cricketer. De Villiers has never looked out of his Midas’ touch and his three majestic centuries in the ODI series do the talking about his current form. Kohli, on the other hand, shall be entering the arena with a lot of confidence after a thumping comeback in the ODI series, in spite of the loss.

Both the ‘Royal Challengers’ are vital cogs in their teams’ middle order and are capable of rubbing off their energy on to their fellow team mates. Whoever might emerge the better, for a true cricket fan, it is always a treat to the eyes when both these royals are in the mood.

#3 Ajinkya Rahane-Faf du Plessis

Unlike the previous pair, this one might seem as a surprising comparison for many. Well, if there is one thing that marries both these players, it is their ability to enter the field and conquer it without making noise. Both Faf and Rahane have been ‘silent guardians’ of their ships at various instances, steering the vessel safely to the shore.

The Mumbaikar notched up 3 half centuries against the visitors in the ODI series and showed how well he can tame the fiery bowling up which has Steyn, Abbot and Tahir who are always roaring to take the opposition down.

Coming to the silent Protean, Du Plessis has a century and 3 half centuries under his name in this tour. His hard hitting abilities add more firepower to his arsenal, posing a threat to the Indian bowling attack.

Both the middle order batsmen have shown the character to adapt to all forms of the game and this test series shall be one more test in their career, which they would be hoping to succeed with good numbers.

#4 Ravi Ashwin-Imran Tahir

Indian tracks and spin bowling is undoubtedly one of the toughest combinations to face for a batsman, irrespective of the country he is from. And when the spinner is Ravichandran Ashwin or Imran Tahir, the job gets even tougher for the batsmen.

The lanky ‘carrom ball’ expert Chennai-ite is expected to recover from his injury and lead the Indian spinners in the test series. Without a hint of doubt, he is India’s trump card as no other current Indian bowler has been as successful as Ashwin over the past few months.

Tahir has been enjoying a smooth patch in this tour, picking up wickets in almost every match he played. His flight and leg spin variations stand as a huge threat in front of the Indian batsman, especially the right-handers, who need to figure out a strategy to tackle him. Both Ashwin and Tahir can spin the direction of the game towards their team and it shall be a mouth-watering contest to see who makes the best use of the flat tracks.

#5 Ishant Sharma-Dale Steyn

The last pair in the list is a clash between the spearheads of the pacers army of both the teams. Dale Steyn is undoubtedly one of the fiery bowlers in world cricket today while Ishant Sharma is yet to stabilize the consistency of his performances. However, playing alongside Steyn in the Indian Premier League has made an impact on Ishant’s bowling which has managed to revive his career graph – as seen in the Sri Lanka series.

Steyn himself was impressed by Ishant’s bowling in the past and to see these two face off with each other in the white flannels shall be a riveting contest. Needless to say about Steyn, the beast from South Africa is blessed with pinpoint accuracy, pace and aggression which are all that a fast bowler needs.

If India have managed to turn their recent games towards their favor in the recent past, credits have to be given to Ishant Sharma’ efficient spells. Ishant has been buckling himself up with a handful of wickets in the Ranji and shall be gushing into the test series with the same energy. But, who will be the more destructive? The answers shall arrive in a week’s time.