Unusually quiet on this thread for what is the most anticipated test series for me in a long long time. After the glut of SL and WI one-sided contests, we will finally get a stiff challenge in which we will start as the underdogs. SA are clear favorites in this series and I believe we would be reasonably happy to draw a couple of test matches. If the rumors going around on some of the online channels are true, Rahane and Umesh will sit out for Pandya and Ishant which means we will have proven overseas failures in Rohit and Ishant starting in yet another overseas tour! Apparently, Ishant now knows how to take wickets as per the Hindi media here. If these rumors are true, expect a royal drubbing for the Kohli, Shastri & Friends XI.
My side for would be:
Vijay
Rahul
Pujara
Kohli
Rahane
Saha
Hardik
Ashwin
Bhuvaneswar
Umesh
Shami
This is especially true if we have a dry wicket which is usually the case at Cape Town. Hardik will be more useful than Rohit who is a sitting duck against good pace bowling on non-Asian tracks. Bhuvi & Ashwin will be half as effective on conditions which are not green or dont offer spin. We need a couple of enforcers with the ball and that means Shami and Umesh have to both play even if it means risking going for a few runs as they can both reverse the ball in abrasive dry conditions. Ishant is a defensive option and has failed time and again overseas. He has been to 3 tours of Australia, 2 tours of SA and 2 tours of England and NZ. In none of these tours has he inspired any confidence. Sadly, knowing this team management, he will start at Cape Town.