Ravi Shastri confident of India's chances in South Africa; 'Just ask the Aussies'

Former team India head coach Ravi Shastri is confident of India's chances during the upcoming India tour of South Africa, wherein India will look to win their first-ever Test series in the Rainbow nation. Ravi Shastri said that India have a talented team that can conquer the only place India haven't won a Test series but said South Africa won't be any easy in their backyard.

“There couldn’t have been a better time for Team India to prove their mettle. Virat (Kohli) has been an impeccable leader and has got a talented team to go along with it. South Africa remains an unconquered bastion. Remember, the Proteas are no pushovers in their own backyard, but we have got the firepower and the arsenal to match that. As always, Team India will always have my backing,” Ravi Shastri said while speaking on Star Sports - India vs South Africa Test series promo ('First Ka Thirst') and concluded by saying "Just ask the Aussies"

The Australian reference was in reference to the team under his leadership scripting history by winning their first-ever Test series on Down Under 2-1 during the 2018-19 Border-Gavaskar Trophy series. In the process, Virat Kohli became the first Indian as well as the first Asian captain to record a Test series win Down Under as neither of Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and now Afghanistan having won in Australia. 

As for the India tour of South Africa, the first Test will begin on Boxing day (December 26) and will be held at the SuperSport Park in Centurion while the second and the third Test will be played at Johannesburg and Cape Town respectively and will be followed by a three-match ODI series.

As for India's record in South Africa, the player played its first-ever Test match against South Africa in Durban om 1992 while it was in 2006 under Rahul Dravid's captaincy did India win its first Test match in South Africa. However, India have never won a Test Series in the Rainbow Nation and team India has a team in their prime that is capable of creating history. 

The team however will miss the services of the experienced opener and newly appointed vice-captain Rohit Sharma, lead all-rounders Ravindra Jadeja and Axar Patel while Shubman Gill too sits out due to an injury. 

India vs South Africa: Team India's Test squad

Virat Kohli (Captain), KL Rahul (vice-captain), Mayank Agarwal, Cheteshwar Pujara, Priyank Panchal, Ajinkya Rahane, Shreyas Iyer, Hanuma Vihari, Rishabh Pant (wk), Wriddhiman Saha (wk), R Ashwin, Jayant Yadav, Ishant Sharma, Mohd. Shami, Umesh Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Shardul Thakur, Mohammed Siraj.