Last Updated on 4 months by Charbel Coorey

SA vs IND 2nd Test Dream11 Prediction & FanPlay Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report | SA vs IND 2nd Test Match Dream11 Prediction Today| South Africa vs India 2nd Test Match Key Players | Johannesburg Pitch Report

After having scripted a dominating win inside four days at South Africa’s fortress in Centurion, Team India will look to make history in Johannesburg by taking a 2-0 lead to complete their maiden Test series win in the rainbow nation.

India has a lot of happy memories of Johannesburg. It is a rare venue away from home where they are yet to drop a Test match. The tourists have played a total of five Tests at the Wanderers, winning two while the remaining Tests ended in a draw.

It is at this very venue where Team India tasted their maiden Test win [under the leadership of current coach Rahul Dravid in 2006] and it would be fitting if they seal their maiden Test series win in the rainbow nation at a place which has given them so many good memories in the past.

In many ways, it can be argued that their win against South Africa on a snake-pit masquerading as a Test match in Jo’Burg back in 2018, laid the cornerstone for the success that Kohli’s men have tasted in overseas conditions in the last three years.

At Centurion, India flexed their muscles to the hilt as they completely dominated the Proteas in all departments. Having said that, the visitors will be the first ones to admit that their batting barring the opening day, did not perform to its potential, something they would want to improve in the remaining two Tests.

The bedrock of India’s win at Centurion was the opening duo of Mayank Agarwal and centurion KL Rahul, who blunted the new-ball threat in the first couple of sessions to pave way for the middle-order.

Skipper Virat and former vice-captain Rahane batted well but failed to convert their starts into a big knock while Cheteshwar Pujara’s struggles continued. With India likely to play with just five specialist batsmen and a wicketkeeper, it is highly imperative that the senior pros in the middle-order step-up in the 2nd Test, in case the openers depart early.

India’s bowling was imperious across both innings with Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj and Jasprit Bumrah comfortably outbowling their South African counterparts. 

As for South Africa, skipper Dean Elgar in the second innings and Temba Bavuma across both innings were the lone shining lights with the bat. With Quinton de Kock no longer available, the onus will be on the aforementioned duo and Aiden Markram, who had a poor outing in Centurion, to lead the batting unit.

South African pacers missed the trick in the first couple of sessions in Centurion as they failed to hit the right length but once they got it right, they proved to be more than handful. With Jo’Burg set to aid seamers, Proteas fans will hope that the likes of Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi and co. make the most of the conditions.

Key Players to Watch/Key Stats

India:

• KL Rahul: 2021 proved to be a watershed year for the stylish batsman as he smashed a couple of match-winning hundreds in difficult conditions. 
• Rahul scored a match-winning 123 at Centurion and Indian fans will hope he carries his form in the new year.
• Mayank Agarwal: The Karnataka opener may have missed out on a three-figure score in Centurion but he batted exceedingly well in the first innings to give his side a brilliant platform.
• Agarwal scored a 123-ball 60 before his unfortunate dismissal. He will look to continue his form and hopefully convert a start into a daddy hundred.
• Cheteshwar Pujara: Johannesburg is one venue in SA where Pujara has done really well. The Indian No.3 smashed his first overseas hundred at the Wanderers way back in 2013 besides scoring a match-winning half-century on a difficult track in 2018.
• Pujara’s record at the Wanderers: 229 runs in 4 innings at 57.25. 50/100- 1/1
• Virat Kohli: The Indian skipper enjoys playing at the Wanderers. He scored a high-quality 119 against a Dale Steyn-led attack back in 2013 and nearly missed out on scoring another ton in the same game. He also scored a match-winning 50 in the last Test at the venue.
• Kohli once again failed to convert his starts into big knocks in the last Test as he went about chasing deliveries outside the off-stump, which he shouldn’t have. His record at the Wanderers – 310 runs in 4 innings at 77.50 – is imperious and one can only hope that the legendary batsman will roll back the glory days in the forthcoming Test.
• Ajinkya Rahane: The former vice-captain looked in amazing touch during his knocks of 48 and 20 in the last game but he once again failed to convert them into big scores.
• His record at the Wanderers: 119 runs in four innings at 29.75. Rahane played a brilliant knock of 48 [68 balls] on an extremely difficult track back in 2018.
• Mohammed Shami: The champion pacer claimed a match-winning five-wicket haul at the same venue back in 2018 and he backed it up with another one in the last game.
• Shami claimed a total of eight wickets at Centurion and one can only expect him to continue with the good work in the 2nd Test.
• Jasprit Bumrah: Bumrah, like Shami, looked at his imperious best in the last game as he consistently challenged the batsmen with movement, pace, uneven bounce and searing yorkers.
• Despite battling an injury during the first innings, Bumrah claimed five wickets in the match, including the much-needed scalp of Dean Elgar on the final day.

South Africa:

• Dean Elgar: The Proteas skipper missed out in the first inning at Centurion but more than made up for it in the second dig as he blunted a relentless Indian attack to score a gritty 156-ball 77.
• Elgar loves batting at the Wanderers. His record at the venue: 523 runs in 14 innings at 45 with 2 50s and 1 hundred.
• Aiden Markam: The talented opener would be looking to make amends in Jo’Burg after having missed out in both innings at Centurion.
• His record at Jo’Burg is amazing. In eight innings, he has racked up 347 runs at 49.57 which includes 2 50+ scores and a ton.
• Temba Bavuma: The white-ball skipper was the best batsman on show for his team across both innings in the first Test. He scored a brilliant 50 in the first innings (52 off 103 balls) before staying unbeaten on 35 (80) in the second dig.
• His record at Jo’Burg: 236 runs in 10 innings at 29.50 with 1 50.
• Kagiso Rabada: The pace spearhead did not start well in the first innings but once he found his radar, he looked imperious. He claimed a total of seven wickets across two innings.
• Rabada’s record at Jo’Burg: 24 wickets in 10 innings at 20.54 with one 5-wicket-haul.
• Lungi Ngidi: The tall seamer claimed a six-wicket haul in the first innings to trigger a collapse. He backed it up with two more scalps in the second dig.
• Ngidi’s record at Jo’Burg: 6 wickets in 4 innings at 25.50.

Stats and Facts

• India have never lost a Test in Johannesburg. They have played five matches at the venue, winning two. Three games ended in a draw.
• Since winning back-to-back Tests in England in 1986, India have never backed up their series lead in SENA countries with a win. In South Africa, they took a series lead in 2006/07 when they won the first Test in Jo’Burg but ended up losing the next two Tests.
• India are on a five Test winning streak against the Proteas. If they win this Test, then it will be the first time that they will register six Test wins on the bounce against a particular opponent.
• South Africa’s record at the Wanderers: 18 wins and 13 defeats in 42 Tests.
• If India win the 2nd Test, then Virat Kohli will become the first Asian skipper to register series wins in Australia and South Africa. He will also become the 2nd Asian skipper after Sri Lanka’s Dimuth Karunaratne to win a Test series in the rainbow nation.

Possible Playing 11

India:

India went with 5 batsmen + keeper + 5 bowlers combination at Centurion and while they won the match comfortably, one can argue that there is scope for adding an extra batsman in place of either Shardul Thakur or R Ashwin given the seamer-friendly surfaces and their misfiring middle-order.

However, given Virat’s penchant to go with 5 bowlers, it is unlikely that the visitors will add an extra batsman to their playing XI.

Likely XI: KL Rahul, Mayank Agarwal, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli © , Ajinkya Rahane, Rishabh Pant (WK), R Ashwin, Shardul Thakur, Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj, Jasprit Bumrah

South Africa:

With Duanne Oliver available for selection, the Proteas will have a choice to make between Marco Jansen and Wiaan Mulder.

With Quinton de Kock no longer available, Kyle Verreynne will take-up the keeping gloves.

Likely XI: Dean Elgar (C), Aiden Markram, Keegan Petersen, Rassie van der Dussen, Temba Bavuma, Kyle Verreynne (WK), Marco Jansen/Wiaan Mulder, Kagiso Rabada, Keshav Maharaj, Duanne Olivier, Lungi Ngidi

Wanderers Johannesburg Pitch Report and weather conditions

Last time India played a Test at the Wanderers, they were created with a snake-pit masquerading as a Test match pitch with prodigious sideways movement and uneven bounce.

Wanderers is traditionally a safe haven for pacers but normally it flattens out as the Test match progresses.

As far as the weather is concerned, scattered thunderstorms are predicted for each of the 5 days with the temperature hovering between 14-26 degree Celsius.

Dream11 Prediction

Team 01:

Team 02:

Fan2Play Prediction

Base team:

• Wicket-keepers: Rishabh Pant
• Batsmen: Virat Kohli, Dean Elgar
• All-rounders: Wiaan Mulder
• Bowlers: Mohammed Shami, Jasprit Bumrah, Kagiso Rabada

Match Prediction

India will start as favourites.