Virat Kohli involved in intense chat with head coach Rahul Dravid ahead of SA Test challenge

India will seek to take command when they face South Africa in the first Test match at the SuperSport Park starting on Boxing Day. After claiming the ODI series 2-1, the onus will be on the visitors to replicate their performance in the long format. Team India are scheduled to play two Test matches with the Proteas.

3 things you need to know

• Virat Kohli wasn't a part of the white ball series
• He is scheduled to play both tests
• India will play two Test matches against the Proteas

Also Read: R Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja strategize for first Test against South Africa-Watch

Virat Kohli is expected to play in the first Test on Boxing Day

Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli were not part of the T20 and ODI series but they are now back after a lengthy time off following the gruelling ODI World Cup schedule. Both Kohli and Rohit are expected to play a pivotal role for India. Virat reportedly returned to India due to a family emergency but recent visuals confirmed the 35 year old took part in practice sessions ahead of the first Test.

In a video shared on social media, he was engrossed in a deep chat with coach Rahul Dravid during a net session. In the background, Rohit was taking on the bowlers while Virat was indicating something to Dravid with his hand.

Also Read: Sunil Gavaskar includes two star spinners in his predicted XI for Boxing Day Test against SA

He finished as the top run scorer in the World Cup recently and will have to shift the attention as the surface in SuperSports Park is a pacer's paradise. India did inflict a loss on the Proteas last time but the likes of Kagiso Rabada and Lungi Ngidi wreak havoc on their day.

Ruturaj Gaikwad has been ruled out of the Test series after sustaining a finger injury and Abhimanyu Easwaran has been named as his replacement.

India Test squad

Rohit Sharma (c), Shubman Gill, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (wk), Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, Mohammed Siraj, Mukesh Kumar, Jasprit Bumrah (vc), Prasidh Krishna, KS Bharat (wk), Abhimanyu Easwaran.