Lagatar24 Desk
Cape Town, Jan 11: India test captain Virat Kohli won the toss and opted to bat first in the third test against South Africa. For this decider game, team India made a couple of changes as a fit-again Virat Kohli replaced Hanuma Vihari while Umesh Yadav has come in for injured Mohammed Siraj. South Africa go into the game without any changes.
Virat Kohli’s talismanic presence will provide India the boost they need to win the historic first-ever away Test series against South Africa, but the hosts will also have a spring in their step in the final Test, which begins today in Cape Town.
Kohli missed the last Test in Johannesburg due to back spasms, and if the Newlands training session is any indication, the skipper will not miss the series finale for anything, with the two teams tied at 1-1. The hosts will be confident of their chances after a valiant effort in the second Test pulled them level.
Interestingly, on the occasion of his daughter’s first birthday, the captain will play his 99th Test.
Playing XI:
India: KL Rahul, Mayank Agarwal, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli(C),Ajinkya Rahane, Rishabh Pant (WK), Ashwin, Shardul Thakur, Mohammed Shami, Jasprit Bumrah, Umesh Yadav
South Africa: Dean Elgar(C), Aiden Markram, Keegan Petersen, Rassie van der Dussen, Temba Bavuma, Kyle Verreynne (WK), Marco Jansen, Kagiso Rabada, Keshav Maharaj, Duanne Olivier, Lungi Ngidi
