CENTURION: India won the toss and chose to bat first in the opening test against South Africa on Sunday, the first series away from home for new India coach Rahul Dravid.
India opens its quest for a first test series win in South Africa with no major surprises in its lineup. Jasprit Bumrah leads a four-man seam bowling attack. Shardul Thakur, Mohammed Shami and Mohammed Siraj back him up with Ishant Sharma missing out for the first match at SuperSport Park in Centurion.
Ravichandran Ashwin is the lone spinner and captain Virat Kohli is at the centre of a batting order where KL Rahul and Mayank Agarwal will open.
South Africa gave tall seam-bowling allrounder Marco Jansen, who is 6-foot-8, his international debut in the absence of fast bowler Anrich Nortje, who is out of the series with injury.
Kagiso Rabada and Lungi Ngidi lead South Africa's attack in Nortje's absence while there was no recall for Duanne Olivier, who has returned from a spell playing in England and is back in South Africa's squad for the three-test series.
South Africa kept faith with newcomer Keegan Petersen at No. 3 and Quinton de Kock was listed to bat at No. 6.
There was a moment's silence before play for South Africa's anti-apartheid icon Archbishop Desmond Tutu, who died early Sunday.
Lineups:
South Africa: Dean Elgar (captain), Aiden Markram, Keegan Petersen, Rassie van der Dussen, Temba Bavuma, Quinton de Kock, Wiaan Mulder, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi.
India: KL Rahul, Mayank Agarwal, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli (captain), Ajinkya Rahane, Rishabh Pant, Shardul Thakur, Ravichandran Ashwin, Mohammed Shami, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj.