Nagpur, Feb 5 (IANS) The two-Test series between India and South Africa, starting here Saturday, has been billed as the battle for Test supremacy. Both teams have had a remarkable season and are looking to finish at the top of International Cricket Council’s (ICC) Test rankings.
India will carry the confidence of beating Sri Lanka at home and then dominating the away-series against Bangladesh. Though the Bangladesh series has taken a huge toll on Indian players with at least four of them returning with injuries.

South Africa, on the other hand, managed to pull off a win in the last Test to hold a rejuvenated England 1-1 in their backyard.

The home advantage notwithstanding, India would be wary of South Africa’s potential to spoil their party. The last time the two played here in 2008, India came back from the the verge of losing the series, and had to go in for a designer pitch at Kanpur to level the series 1-1. The home team had a disastrous performance in Ahmedabad, where they were knocked off for 76 in the first innings before being beaten by an innings and 90-runs.

The strong South African pace attack of Dale Steyn and Morne Morkel, that brought about India’s downfall in Ahmedabad, will again look to unnerve the Indian batsmen. The attack has been reinforced by the inclusion of promising left-arm seamer Wayne Parnell to add to the India’s worries.

Steyn has already made it clear that they will not hesitate to work up more pace, and that they have enough skills to use the old ball.

The quality in South African attack will be handful for the Indian middle-order which is without Rahul Dravid and Yuvraj Singh and the there is uncertainty over V. V. S. Laxman’s availability for the match.

Under the circumstances, the form of Gautam Gambhir and Virender Sehwag is crucial. Both have been in tremendous touch in recent years, particularly in Test cricket, and a solid opening stand is essential for the stability of the Indian innings.

The man expected to fill Dravid’s shoes Murali Vijay has been a relevation. Twice drafted in the team as replacement for Gautam Gambhir, the Tamil Nadu opener was equal to the task, missing out on his maiden century in Mumbai against Sri Lanka.

Vijay’s state-teammate Subramaniam Badrinath is likely to make his Test debut in place of injured Yuvraj Singh. Badrinath has been a prolific scorer in domestic cricket and would be looking to grab the opportunity.

Much has been said about the lack of quality in Indian bowling, especially spin. The bowlers would be tested against a quality batting line-up.

Zaheer Khan and Ishant Sharma have worked well on their reverse swing, skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni would be missing injured Shantakumaran Sreesanth.

Veteran Harbhajan Singh would have to shoulder the bulk of the bowling while leg-spinner Amit Mishra, who returned to the side after being sidelined in the wake of the drubbing he received at Motera, would look to prove a point, more so as he was omitted for the second Test against Bangladesh despite taking seven wickets and scoring his first Test fifty in the first.

Teams

India (from): Mahendra Singh Dhoni (captain and wicket-keeper), Virender Shewag, Gautam Gambhir, Murali Vijay, Sachin Tendulkar, V.V.S Laxman, S. Badrinath, Rohit Sharma, Harbhajan Singh, Zaheer Khan, Ishant Sharma, Amit Mishra, Sudeep Tyagi, Pragyan Ozha, Abhimanyu Mithun and Wriddhiman Saha.

South Africa (from): Graeme Smith (captain), Hashim Amla, Ashwell Prince, AB de Villiers, Jacques Kallis, Jean-Paul Duminy, Alviro Petersen, Mark Boucher (wicket-keeper), Paul Harris, Johan Botha, Ryan McLaren, Morne Morkel, Wayne Parnell, Dale Steyn and Lonwabe Tsotsobe.

Umpires: Ian Gould (England) and Steve Davis (Australian)

Match referee: Andy Pycroft (Zimbabwe)