AUS vs SA Match Preview, 1st Test

AUS vs SA Match Preview, 1st Test.  In a top of WTC Table clash, Australia are set to take on South Africa in the 1st Test at The Gabba. The hosts will battle it out with South Africa in the first Test on Saturday (December 17). The two World Test Championship (WTC) toppers will go head-to-head in this fascinating three-match Test series.

Australia are currently sitting atop the WTC points table while South Africa are in the 2nd spot at the moment. The hosts further widened the gap with a dominating 2-0 victory against West Indies at home recently.

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South Africa would desperately need to win this series and stay in contention for the WTC finals ahead of Sri Lanka and India. South Africa have not lost a test series against Australia since 2008 as the Proteas bowlers would look to exploit the pacy and bouncy conditions provided by Australian pitches.

AUS vs SA Match Preview, 1st Test

Opener Usman Khawaja has been the top scorer for the hosts in Tests this year, with 1,066 runs in 9 matches at a fascinating average of 82.00. Usman Khawaja has already smacked 4 centuries and 5 fifties in 2022. Marnus Labuschagne on the other hand, currently the No. 1 ranked Test batter, is in impeccable form and has scored 927 runs at an average of 61.80 this year. Steve Smith, Travis Head, and David Warner will constitute a strong batting unit.

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While the hosts will miss their ace pacer Josh Hazlewood in the 1st Test, either of young pacers Scott Boland and pace sensation Lance Morris will get a chance. Scott Boland has 14 wickets to his name in 3 matches this year while Lance Morris is yet to make his debut.

Spinner Nathan Lyon has been the top wicket-taker for the hosts this year with 39 scalps in 9 matches, while captain pacer Pat Cummins has also been among the wickets with 28 wickets in 8 matches. Pacer Mitchell Starc has registered 27 wickets this year and it will be a challenge for the Proteas batter to take this Australian bowling unit in their familiar conditions.

For South Africa, captain Dean Elgar has been the top scorer in Tests this year with 546 runs in 9 matches, while Keegan Petersen has scored 399 runs this year. The batting order also included Temba Bavuma, Sarel Erwee, Rassie van der Dussen along with wicket-keeper Heinrich Klaasen or Kyle Verreyne. The South African batters would have to face a tough challenge in order to keep their WTC final hopes alive.

The Proteas bowling department will be led by ace bowler Kagiso Rabada, who’s also South Africa’s top wicket-taker this year with 37 scalps to his name in 7 matches.  All-rounder Marco Jansen will shoulder the pace bowling department with Kagiso Rabada as the young pacer has picked 32 wickets this year in 6 matches.

Anrich Nortje, Lungi Ngidi, and Keshav Maharaj will form the bowling department along with Kagiso Rabada and Marco Jansen to take on Australian batting in a crucial series for WTC. Keegan Petersen was ruled out of South Africa’s three-Test tour of Australia because of a hamstring tear.

AUS vs SA Probable Playing XI

AUS: David Warner, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, Travis Head, Cameron Green, Alex Carey, Pat Cummins, Scott Boland, Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon

SA: Dean Elgar, Saral Erwee, Khaya Zondo/ Theunis de Bruyn, Temba Bavuma, Rassie van der Dussen, Kyle Verreynne, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi, Anrich Nortje, Gerald Coetzee/ Marco Jansen

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