Deadline: December 26, 2019 at 1:30 PM IST
Venue: SuperSport Park, Centurion
Pitch Report
The highest total registered at SuperSport Park in Centurion reads 620 for 4 by South Africa against India. However, there is a thin film of grass shining on the pitch. Expect the seamers to dictate terms on the opening day.
Probable XIs
South Africa: Dean Elgar, Aiden Markram, Zubayr Hamza, Fad du Plessis (c), Rassie van der Dussen, Quinton de Kock (wk), Andile Phehlukwayo, Vernon Philander, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Anrich Nortje
England: Dominic Sibley, Rory Burns, Joe Denly, Joe Root, Ben Stokes, Jos Butter, Jonny Bairstow (wk), Jack Leach, Jofra Archer, Stuart Broad, James Anderson
Fantasy Tips
We have opted for a fantasy team on the basis of players’ impact, recent performances, and credit points.
You can also check players’ performances in the last 5 matches. Tap on the players’ images to get the data while making your fantasy team.
Note: You can now select 1-4 wicketkeepers, 1-6 batsmen, 1-6 all-rounders, 1-6 bowler.
Wicketkeeper: Quinton de Kock (vc)
Batsmen: Dean Elgar, Rory Burns, Faf du Plessis, Joe Root
All-rounders: Vernon Philander, Ben Stokes (c)
Bowlers: James Anderson, Stuart Broad, Kagiso Rabada, Jofra Archer
Match Prediction
South Africa have lost 5 Tests on the trot. Their last victory was against Pakistan in January. Ever since, they lost to Sri Lanka at home and India. On the other hand, England drew their last two series: against Australia and New Zealand.
The form guide, however, does not matter in South Africa-England Tests, for we often see an even contest, with both teams playing top-notch cricket.
Players To Watch Out For
Joe Root is the only player from both teams who appears in the top 10 of ICC Test Rankings for batsmen. The story would have been different had he not scored the double-hundred against New Zealand earlier this month. Before that stunning knock, he had gone 14 innings without scoring a hundred.
Kagiso Rabada is at the second spot in the ICC Test Rankings for bowlers. In 7 Tests this year, he has managed to scalp as many as 26 wickets at 28.1 To make matters more interesting, no bowler with more than 100 wickets in this decade has better strike rate than Kagiso Rabada’s 40.2.
Vernon Philander announced this will be his last international assignment. The 34-year-old has taken 216 wickets at a superior average of 22.1 and scored 1,211 runs. He will give his all to end his career for South Africa on a high.
Despite not playing a Test since August, James Anderson has not dropped out of the list of top 10 bowlers. He needs only 25 wickets to become the first pacer to snipe up 600 wickets. He looked good in the practice match against South Africa A, taking a three-wicket haul.
Dean Elgar was the only centurion from South Africa when they toured India 2 months ago. However, it is their wicketkeeper Quinton de Kock who has scored the bulk of the runs for them in 2019: his 584 runs have come at an average of 44.9.Ben Stokes is the No. 1 all-rounder in the ICC Test Rankings. He received a number of awards this year for his all-round contribution in the 2019 World Cup and in the one-wicket win against Australia in The Ashes.
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