India v South Africa Second Test Tips: Stick with Jadeja for 17/2 gamble

• India without skipper Gill so Pant will lead

• Spinners to have final say
• Pitch may take spin in third and fourth

• Jadeja, De Zorzi, Rahul and Harmer picks

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India v South Africa
Saturday 22 November, 03.30
TV: Live on TNT

India v South Africa Second Test team news

India are in crisis. They have lost three of their last five at home. It is an extraordinary collapse. Test wins on their home soil were as reliable as sunset but after a 3-0 reverse to New Zealand then losing the first test of this series they are suddenly unsure. A 2-0 win over West indies in between looks irrelevant.

Coach Gautam Gambhir should be sacked, delighting and uniting fans globally as he has to be one of the most unpopular players to have played the game. It is also deeply amusing that a country with India's resources, and, how shall we put it, sway over how the sport is adminisitered, has struggled.

Shubman Gill, the captain, missed their second-innings collapse in game one due to a neck spasm and he has been ruled out for this one. In his absence Rishabh Pant will lead.

Gill's batting spot will go to one from Sai Sudharsan, Dev Paddikal or Nitish Kumar Reddy. Sai may be the best suited for the top order role. Reddy may play anyway with Axar Patel under pressure for his spot.

Possible India XI: Jaiswal, Rahul, Sai, Jurel, Pant, Reddy, Jadeja, Sundar, Kuldeep, Bumrah, Siraj

South Africa have ruled out Kagiso Rabada from taking any part. He has not recovered from the rib injury which meant he missed game one. It means Marco Jansen and Corbin Bosh are certain to play.

Wiaan Mulder, however, is not certain to keep his spot. His pace bowling and batting at No 3 is super for balance. But South Africa may want the extra spin option of Senuran Muthusamy, who can also hold a bat.

Possible South Africa XI: Markram, Rickleton, Bavuma, De Zorzi, Stubbs, Verreyenne, Muthusamy, Jansen, Maharaj, Rabada, Harmer

India v South Africa Second Test pitch report

We are guessing to the state of the Guwahati pitch because this will be the first Test played at the venue. If the two ODI matches are anything to go by (and we urge caution), there is a history of runs. More than 300 was busted in each of the four innings..

The social media snapshots of the surface say otherwise. It does look as though it is underprepared. It is a red-soil surface, though. They usually hold up well and then deteriorate later for the spin bowlers.

It is a risky strategy from india. Their insistence on preparing turning surfaces is the main reason for their horrible recent record. When a Temba Bavuma half-century is the knock which turns a game, one might suggest they rethink.

In the third innings we are eyeing a low innings runs total on the  Betfair Exchange. In-play in the third and fourth with Sportsbook, look out for unders on fall of next wicket.

India v South Africa Second Test match prediction

Whatever happens, India cannot win the series although memories of the whitewash against New Zealand may mean they are grateful for a two-Test series. They remain ridiculously overrated for a leveller given their form and the fact that come up against, lest we forget, the world champions.

South Africa don't play much Test cricket but when they do they do so with guts and nous. Their win in the first Test in Kolkata by 30 runs when they rolled India for 93 in the fourth was a prime example.

Simon Harmer's spin against a batting line-up stacked with left-handers helped. By contrast, India need to get their spin variation working against a South Africa line-up stacked with right handers.

It could well be another contest decided by small margins, such as one batter, like Bavuma did, sticking it out for a crucial score. A close contest then. So South Africa are the value at 3.953/1. 

India v South Africa Second Test player bets

We are sticking with our guns on the players to follow. Ravi Jadeja and Tony de Zorzi didn't do the bueiness byut there is clear raionale for the india spinner and South Africa batter to go well.

Jadeja is dangerous bowling to South Africa's right-handers with his SLA style. Just like Noman Ali was in Pakistan. We want to be on him to do something special so the man of the match award is a strong option at 17/29.50. 

And de Zorzi could be the most likely to counter him. He did so impressively against Noman because the stock delivery from both spins into his pads. Go for a first-innings 50 at a whopping 4/15.00. We also keep faith with the odburate and sensible KL Rahul at 7/42.75 on the same market.

Harmer picked up the match gong and we don't fancy going back to back on that one. Instead play safe and take the 12/53.40 that he takes most South Africa wickets in the first dig. He should be jolly ahead of Keshav Mahraj. 

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