India will be up against South Africa in the second of the two-match Test series. This article provides details about South Africa’s Playing 11 vs India for the second match of the series.
South Africa Playing XI vs India- 2nd Test, South Africa Tour of India 2025:
Openers: Aiden Markram, Ryan Rickelton
South Africa would like to win the second Test against India and claim a historic series win on Indian soil, having won the first game by 30 runs.
South Africa is expected to go with an unchanged playing XI in this particular match after how all the players performed in the previous match.
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Although the Temba Bavuma-led side ticked most of the boxes, the only concern for the visitors before the next match would be the form of the middle order, which failed miserably in both innings.
The only saving grace for the Proteas, as far as the middle order batting is concerned, was the match-winning contribution of Temba Bavuma, who bailed the team out of a tricky situation in the second innings, which turned the match in South Africa’s favour.
The team management would want the likes of Tristan Stubbs, Tony de Zorzi, and Marco Jansen to come good in both innings of the match.
Amidst the disappointing performance from the middle order, the team management would be somewhat satisfied with the performance of South Africa’s openers.
The opening pair of Aiden Markra and Ryan Ricklton was able to negotiate the new ball spell from Jasprit Bumrah and Mohamed Siraj and formed a half-century partnership for the first wicket.
Both batters would be entrusted to replicate the same effort as a pair and score runs individually as well, come the next match in Guwahati.
Middle-order batsmen and all-rounders: Wiaan Mulder, Tony de Zorzi, Temba Bavuma (c), Tristan Stubbs, Kyle Verreynne (wk), Marco Jansen, Corbin Bosch
Unlike the top order, Africa’s middle order will have to up their game against the Indian spinners as they visibly struggled to read them in the first match.
Yes, there is no denying the fact that the majority of the African batters don’t have the experience of playing Test match cricket in India, but they will have to trust their defence to score runs.
Among the African middle order, which includes names like Tony de Zorzi, Tristan Stubbs, Kyle Verreynne, and Marco Jansen, the responsibility will be on Temba Bavuma to lead from the front, being the captain of the side.
Bowlers: Simon Harmer, Keshav Maharaj
When it comes to the bowling attack of Africa, it made full use of the help that is available in the surface, especially for the spinners and foiled the Indian bowlers in both innings.
The duo of Simon Harmer and Keshav Maharaj pirched the ball in the right areas and got it to turn at the right pace, which made life difficult for the opposition batters.
Along with the spinners, the African fast bowlers also did their job by keeping things tight and piling on the pressure from the other end, which helped them pick up crucial wickets as well.
Africa might be tempted to bring in experienced fast bowler Kagiso Rabada for the second Test, but should take the field in the match with the same bowling resources that played the series opener.