IND Vs SA: "Prasidh Krishna And Mukesh Kumar Can't Ask For A Better Place Than South Africa.."- Wasim Jaffer

India faces the absence of Mohammed Shami in the upcoming Test series against South Africa, as he was not granted clearance by the Board of Control for Cricket in India medical team due to his lingering ankle injury. This opens the door for emerging bowlers like Mukesh Kumar and Prasidh Krishna, with Mukesh having already made a Test debut against West Indies, securing two wickets in the lone match he played.

While Krishna awaits his Test debut, his domestic cricket experience is noteworthy. Former India batsman Wasim Jaffer sees this as an opportune moment for the younger generation to showcase their talent, emphasizing their role in the future of Indian bowling.

However, the team welcomes back Jasprit Bumrah, returning to red-ball cricket for the first time since mid-2022. In the previous Test under Bumrah’s captaincy against England, India faced defeat in a rescheduled match led by Ben Stokes. The Indian bowling lineup is anticipated to excel in the South African conditions favoring fast bowlers.

“Shami will be missed big time in SA Tests, but it’s a great opportunity for Prasidh & Mukesh to show that they’re the future of Indian fast bowling. Can’t ask for a better place to bowl than South Africa. Who are you picking as the third seamer between these two?” – Wasim Jaffer tweeted. 

Shami will be missed big time in SA Tests, but it’s a great opportunity for Prasidh & Mukesh to show that they’re the future of Indian fast bowling. Can’t ask for a better place to bowl than South Africa. Who are you picking as the third seamer between these two? #SAvIND pic.twitter.com/7yCgrGDgrY

— Wasim Jaffer (@WasimJaffer14) December 25, 2023

Under the Captaincy of Rohit Sharma and Coaching of Rahul Dravid, the Indian team will look forward to clinching a maiden Test series win at South Africa. And for that, all of the players have to be on the same page and it will be interesting to see how India plays with several new faces both in the bowling as well as batting department.

Centurion Track Perfect For The Line and Length Of Mukesh Kumar

Although it is being said that Day 1 of the Boxing Day test at Centurion might be entirely washed out while Day 2 is also expected to remain the same. But if that doesn’t happen and the sun comes out it could be a feast for Mukesh Kumar who has shown that he can hit the right line and lengths.

He came into the spotlight earlier this year during IPL 2023 where he played for the Delhi Capitals. Although he doesn’t have a natural knack of picking up wickets Mukesh Kumar is capable of hitting the deck and as he keeps getting International exposure, his game will develop without a doubt.

Mukesh made his Test debut during India’s tour to West Indies back in July where he played the 2nd Test. He picked up 2 wickets on his debut but his true charisma and talent will be under test against South Africa starting from tomorrow, only if he gets the nod ahead of Prasidh Krishna.

India’s squad for the 2-match Test series at South Africa – Rohit Sharma (C), Shubman Gill, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Ishan Kishan (wk), KL Rahul (wk), Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, Mohd. Siraj, Mukesh Kumar, Mohd Shami, Jasprit Bumrah (VC), Prasidh Krishna