Boxing Day test match South Africa vs India - MATCH PREVIEW

Wow!! One word that describes the first test match between India and South Africa. With all 4 results possible till the last over of the game, South Africa opted for a well deserved draw, setting up a scintillating final test. However, there are a few concerns which both teams would like to plug before the final test match on Boxing day.

Mahendra Singh Dhoni would generally be a happy man and may retain the eleven that played the first Test. If there is any spot that is a little under doubt, it is that of Ravichandran Ashwin. The off-spinner hasn’t been successful overseas so far and there are calls to include Pragyan Ojha in his place. Given the confidence Ashwin enjoys from the team management, it is unlikely that the move would materialize and he may continue to be a part of the line-up. The openers would also want to get some runs under their belt. However, with the exceptional form of Pujara and Kohli, India go in the final match as slight favorites. For India, the major concern ahead of this Durban Test is the fatigue factor of their bowling attack. Zaheer, Mohammad Shami and Ishant Sharma did a majority of the work, with R Ashwin providing holding support.
With just three days in between these two games, are the Indian frontline bowlers fit enough? Will the lone spinner play a more pivotal role now, at Kingsmead, wherein the pitch is supposed to have slowed down? These are the questions that the hosts would have to answer.

South Africa will seek to arrest a dismal Durban run of four straight defeats at Kingsmead when they host India in the second and final test. The Proteas are at a loss to explain their miserable run at one of the country’s premier Test grounds, where they have not won since beating West Indies in 2008. South Africa are likely to make a decision on Morne Morkel’s availability for the Boxing Day Test today, according to Graeme Smith. Since injuring his ankle at the Wanderers, Morkel was given a 20% chance of playing in the match by team physiotherapist Brandon Jackson, but his progress seemed to have gone well. Morkel was spotted bowling, although not at full pace, at practice at Kingsmead on Tuesday. Should Morkel be ruled out of the match, South Africa will make a decision between either Rory Kleinveldt or Kyle Abbott for first-change. Although Chesteshwar Pujara said Morkel’s absence would make a "huge difference" to South Africa, Smith was confident the replacement would able to fit in.
South Africa would be pleased with their batting effort in the second innings and they may go in with the same line-up. Amla didn’t make a mark in the first Test and given his prolific record against India, he may want to come to the party at Durban, which is his hometown. Jacques Kallis looked in fluent touch in the second innings and that is an encouraging sign. He bowled well and is now one short of taking 200 catches in Test cricket. Faf du Plessis’s return to form means that the middle-order is further strengthened with AB de Villiers already being there. If there is any question, it may be on JP Duminy, who needs runs in this game.

With a sense of mystery around the Kingsmead track, and with the match being a decider, one can easily place your money on another nail biting thriller between the best 2 sides in the world.