INDIA-SA SERIES

Win toss, bat first—brave call or cussedness from captain Kohli?

kohli-wanderers-ap Virat Kohli watches his shot on the first day of the third Test match between South Africa and India at the Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg | AP

As has been the norm with the Indian team in this three-match Test series against South Africa, skipper Virat Kohli changed the playing XI yet again in the final Test at Johannesburg. And this time, too, there were surprises in store.

Opting to go in with all-pace attack on a green, bouncy wicket at the Wanderers, Kohli further decided to buck the trend and bat first. Only once in last 16 Tests, has the team winning the toss opted to bat first at the Wanderers. A brave or a decision reeking of cussedness, only time will tell.

Given the Indian batting woes on the tour so far, one wonders whether it's a challenge Kohli has thrown to his own teammates—to swim or sink—or a gauntlet to the South Africans whose own unimpressive overall batting performances have been overshadowed by the wins. His expectations may have been sky high from his own batsmen, but as has been the case in this series, India were soon 45/2 at lunch, with the skipper himself and Cheteshwar Pujara holding fort after losing the openers cheaply.

This is also just the third time that India are playing without a specialist spinner since 1992. The last time India didn't have a spinner, they lost by an innings and 37 runs in Perth in 2012. However, the 'Bullring' gives “good vibes” to skipper Kohli—not only has India never lost a Test match here, it is where he scored a brilliant century on the first day of India's first match on 2013 tour.

Kohli's penchant to not have a largely consistent playing XI has raised many questions, both among his peers and contemporaries. Former India skipper Sourav Ganguly said to a TV news channel that “he was surprised by the Indian XI”.

“If you play five fast bowlers on a green pitch , then he would rather bowl first,” said Ganguly.

The embattled Indian vice captain, Ajinkya Rahane, was included in the playing XI at the cost of Rohit Sharma. The clamour for Rahane's inclusion had gotten louder after Kohli had decided to opt for Sharma ahead of Rahane on basis of good immediate form (read as ODI form), ignoring Sharma's unimpressive away series record. Only time and this Test match will tell how fair Kohli has been to his own deputy and how wise in his team selections.

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