IND vs SA: Sanjay Manjrekar Goes Against Sunil Gavaskar As They Pick India XI For 1st Test

Former Indian skipper Sunil Gavaskar named his playing 11 of the Team India for the first Test against South Africa. The Boxing Day Test match between the teams will be played at the Super Sport Park in Centurion on 26th December.

Sunil Gavaskar while speaking to Star Sports, backed captain Rohit Sharma and young Yashasvi Jaiswal to open the innings for the team in the first Test against South Africa. The duo had great success as a pair in the West Indies series and would be hoping to continue the fine form this around too.

A lot would be dependent on them as both Rohit and Jaiswal need to give good starts, which will set the platform for the team. Sunil Gavaskar then batted for Shubman Gill to take the No.3 position. The young batter slammed a ton at that position on the practice game and would be hoping to continue his golden touch.

The batting great picked Virat Kohli to bat at No.4 in the first Test against series. The senior batter will be key for India in the series. He in the past tours to South Africa have had a great success and if India has to fancy the chances of winning, he needs to fire.

Sunil Gavaskar picked KL Rahul and Shreyas Iyer as 5 and 6 batters. The batting great believes that the duo can bat here and there. Rahul is expected to keep wickets in the Test whereas Iyer will have a point to prove in the overseas conditions as it will be his comeback series.

Sunil Gavaskar surprised many when he picked both Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja in his team for the first Test. India over the years in overseas conditions has been playing Jadeja and four seamers.

The former Indian skipper named Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj as two front-line pacers in the team. It will also be for first time that Bumrah will be playing a Test after his injury. Gavaskar also gave a nod to Mukesh Kumar ahead of Prasidh Krishna.

Here is Sunil Gavaskar’s Playing 11 for the first Test against South Africa

Rohit Sharma (C)
Yashasvi Jaiswal
Shubman Gill
Virat Kohli
Shreyas Iyer
KL Rahul (wk)
Ravindra Jadeja
Ravichandran Ashwin
Jasprit Bumrah
Mohammed Siraj
Mukesh Kumar

IND vs SA: Sanjay Manjrekar Goes Against Sunil Gavaskar

Sanjay Manjrekar, who was also part of the discussion, went against Sunil Gavaskar while naming his Indian 11. He wasn’t convinced to play two spinners in the team. The former Indian cricketer preferred Ravindra Jadeja over Ravichandran Ashwin.

Sanjay Manjrekar mentioned that it will be a typical Centurion pitch that will favour fast bowlers. The former Indian cricket picked four pacers in Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj and Prasidh Krishna, who is yet to make his debut for the team in Test.

Here is Sanjay Manjrekar’s Playing 11 for the first Test against South Africa in Centurion.

Rohit Sharma (C)
Yashasvi Jaiswal
Shubman Gill
Virat Kohli
Shreyas Iyer
KL Rahul (wk)
Ravindra Jadeja
Shardul Thakur
Jasprit Bumrah
Mohammed Siraj
Prasidh Krishna