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Regular-article-logo Friday, 20 June 2025

Bad weather hits workout - Indians may not change first Test XI at Kingsmead

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LOKENDRA PRATAP SAHI Published 22.12.06, 12:00 AM

Durban: Inclement weather hit Team India’s workout on Thursday (the first since winning Test No. 1 three days earlier) and threatens the two-day practice tie, ahead of the second Test, against a KwaZulu-Natal Invitation XI from Friday.

The bowlers did bowl off a very short run-up at Kingsmead proper, but the batsmen had to be content with a workout at the indoor nets.

Test No. 2 begins on Boxing Day, but the wicket has been attracting much attention. From a distance, there’s no difference between the lush green outfield and the 22 yards. The nice thing is that even if the Indians became concerned, they didn’t give anything away.

Indications are that the Indians may not, eventually, disturb the winning XI. The two-dayer, however, will be important for Gautam Gambhir and Munaf Patel. Apparently, the Indians could ‘rotate’ players in order to give everybody a game.

There was speculation that captain Rahul Dravid could rest, but he told The Telegraph, “I’m playing.”

Meanwhile, there’s talk that AB De Villiers is going to open for South Africa, with the out-of-form Herschelle Gibbs dropping in the order. Left to somebody like coach Mickey Arthur, though, Gibbs would be out of the XI.

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