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Xtra Time Web Desk: India’s formidably consistent match-winners have a date with history in the New Year when they take on an out-of-sorts South Africa in the second Test here from Monday in pursuit of a coveted first-ever series win in the ‘Rainbow Nation’.

If the ‘Boxing Day Test’ was used to breach the Proteas’ fortress at the Centurion, the New Year’s game will be all about stoutly defending the ‘Bull Ring’ bastion which has been a ‘home’ away from home for the Indian team.

Also, it was right here in 2018 when the foundation of one of India’s greatest Test teams was laid with a solid win on a track that bordered on under-prepared and perhaps gave this unit self-belief to take on the world.

They have been doing that for nearly four years now and are in no mood to stop.

For captain Virat Kohli, a Test victory at the Wanderers would reaffirm his status as one of the greatest Indian captains of all time in the traditional format with series wins in three of the four SENA nations barring New Zealand.

There cannot be a more opportune time to achieve the feat against a South African side that lacks Graeme Smith’s grit, Hashim Amla’s class, Jacques Kallis’ manic consistency, Dale Steyn’s x-factor and Morne Morkel’s relentlessness.

Kohli the batter is still insulated from the heat despite that missing ‘three-figure mark’ for the last two years but ‘King Kohli is metaphorically “wearing a crown of thorns". He didn’t face the media before and after the first Test and now head coach Rahul Dravid is literally living up to his ‘The Wall’ moniker as he is set to appear as a fire-fighter ahead of the second Test.

Squads:

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

South Africa: Dean Elgar (captain), Temba Bavuma (vice-captain), Kagiso Rabada, Sarel Erwee, Beuran Hendricks, George Linde, Keshav Maharaj, Lungi Ngidi, Aiden Markram, Wiaan Mulder, Keegan Petersen, Rassie van der Dussen, Kyle Verreynne, Marco Jansen, Glenton Stuurman, Prenelan Subrayen, Sisanda Magala, Ryan Rickelton, Duanne Olivier.

News Courtesy: PTI