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CAPE TOWN : South Africa captain Dean Elgar won the toss and elected to bat first in the second and final test against India amid glorious sunshine at Newlands on Wednesday as the hosts seek a series sweep against the top ranked side in the world.
BAMAKO: Injury-hit Mali have named uncapped Wolverhampton Wanderers midfielder Boubacar Traore and Lorient striker Sirine Doucoure in their squad for this month’s African Cup of Nations finals.
Australian cricket team batter David Warner named former South Africa pacer Dale Steyn as the toughest bowler that he has faced during his illustrious career. Warner called time on his ODI career and will also retire from Test cricket after playing his farewell game against Pakistan starting Wednesday. Steyn is one of the most celebrated fast bowler in recent history and he is South Africa's highest wicket-taker in Tests, with 439 wickets in 93 matches. Warner recalled a tough duel with the pacer during a 2016-17 home series and said how Steyn troubled both him and Shaun Marsh with his express pace.
Mohammed Siraj made early inroads as India struck four times inside the first 10 overs to leave South Africa reeling on Day 1 of the ongoing second Test in Cape Town. As the Proteas won the toss and opted to bat, Siraj proved to be the wrecker in chief for India, who had lost the first Test by an innings and 32 runs in Centurion last week. Siraj dismissed Aiden Markram (2), Dean Elgar (4) and Tony de Zorzi (2), respectively in his first spell.
With nothing to lose on the eve of his final international outing, Dean Elgar didn't hold back while expressing his disgust about Cricket South Africa sending a third-string squad to New Zealand under an uncapped captain just because the series is coinciding with the cash-rich SA20. It is a situation the 36-year-old Elgar, the stand-in captain for the second, and final, Test against India at Newlands, termed as "not ideal." "I still think Test cricket will have a future and in speaking to the younger guys in the dressing room, they still live for the format," Elgar said on Tuesday during his last pre-match conference. "The situation we've been put in from a cricketing fraternity perspective isn't ideal and maybe the team that's selected to go to New Zealand isn't ideal for the conversation of how I see Test cricket," Elgar was straightforward in his observations.
Former India batter Krishnamachari Srikkanth has backed veteran all-rounder Ravichandran Ashwin to retain his place in the playing XI for the second Test against South Africa in Cape Town. South Africa defeated India by an innings and 32 runs at the SuperSport Park in Centurion last week. Ashwin was India's most economical bowler in the Boxing Day Test, giving away just 41 runs in 19 overs, while claiming a solitary wicket. With Ravindra Jadeja likely to return for the game at the Newlands, Srikkanth feels Ashwin is better than Shardul Thakur, who pretty expensie in the first Test.
Former India bowling coach Bharat Arun was all praise for star pacer Jasprit Bumrah following his performances in the 1st Test against South Africa in Centurion last week. Bumrah was India's most successful bowler during the humiliating innings-and-32-run defeat to South Africa in the Boxing Day Test. He picked up four wickets and conceded just 69 runs in 26.4 overs on a track where rest of the India bowlers struggled. Arun was mightly impressed by Bumrah's bowling, but rued the fact that he did not get any support from his fellow pacers.
South Africa stand-in captain Dean Elgar won the toss and opted to bat against India in the second Test in Cape Town on Wednesday. Elgar, who slammed 185 in the first Test as South Africa defeated India by an innings and 32, runs, will retire from international cricket after the match at the Newlands. The Proteas made three changes with wicketkeeper-batter Tristan Stubbs making his Test debut. Lungi Ngidi and Keshav Maharaj have also been included in the playing XI while Bavuma, Keegan Petersen and Gerald Coetzee miss out. India also made a couple of alterations from the side which was humbled by Proteas on Boxing-Day week.