Captain My Captain – Kohli vs Elgar
By Greg Stewart
Virat Kohli returns to the Indian team for the final test after a back spasm put him on the bench for the Wanderers test where Dean Elgar led from the front with an unbeaten 96 to guide SA to victory in a rain interrupted match.
India have never won a test series on SA soil and there are those who believe that this was their time to finally break that run and take home victory. For Kohli it may be his last opportunity. He has been dropped as Captain of the ODI team prior to this tour and has also battled with the bat.
His role as captain though is based on more than his batting average. His fighting attitude is what has lifted his team on many occasion and he was certainly missed in the last test where India seemed to lose their energy and eventually capitulated.
Dean Elgar, probably not the most flamboyant batsman, has a strength of character that was on full display in the Wanderers test. With one match hopelessly lost to India and a first innings where SA had not made any Impression at all, it was the captain who put his hand up and took charge to guide his team home to a needed victory and confidence booster.
Considering all that is at stake and with men like Elgar and Kohli in charge, don't expect any quarter to be given over the course of the next few days in a decisive test match at Newlands. It may well turn out to be the test match of the year. Sports betting markets give India the nod to win by a short margin – SA win- 1:2.63 India win – 1:2.15 Draw 4.75 (Sunbet)
Indian Players to watch:
Batsmen - KL Rahul, Virat Kohli, Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane are all contenders to score a half century or more.
Bowlers - Mohammed Shami, Jasprit Bumrah, Ishant Sharma
South African Players to watch:
Batsmen – Dean Elgar, Temba Bavuma and Keegan Petersen are all contenders to score a half century or more with Bavuma my choice to score a test century in the match.
Bowlers - Keshav Maharaj, Lungi Ngidi, Duanne Olivier with Maharaj my choice for best bowling figures for the test. Betting odds can be found at Sunbet
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