KL Rahul is leading India in the absence of Virat Kohli, who has been ruled out of the second Test due to an upper back spasm.
This is the first time Rahul has got the responsibility in Test cricket. He is the 34th player to lead India in Test cricket.
The 29-year old is also the fourth cricketer from Karnataka to captain the national side. Gundappa Viswanath was India’s skipper for 2 Test matches in 1980.
While Rahul Dravid led India in 25 Tests, Anil Kumble got the opportunity in 14 Tests.
Meanwhile, Hanuma Vihari has replaced Virat in the ongoing match in Johannesburg.
It’s a crucial game as top-ranked India, which leads the three-test series 1-0, goes in search of its first test series win in South Africa. India has a strong record at the Wanderers in Johannesburg to boost its chance of history.
South Africa made two changes, with Kyle Verreynne in as wicketkeeper for Quinton de Kock. De Kock was due to miss the rest of the series anyway for the birth of his first child but made a shock announcement at the end of the first test last week that he was retiring from test cricket at the age of 29.
In South Africa’s other change, fast bowler Duanne Olivier was recalled for his first test in three years after putting on hold his international career to play county cricket in England.
Lineups:
South Africa: Dean Elgar (captain), Aiden Markram, Keegan Petersen, Rassie van der Dussen, Temba Bavuma, Kyle Verreynne, Marco Jansen, Kagiso Rabada, Keshav Maharaj, Duanne Olivier, Lungi Ngidi.
India: Mayank Agarwal, K.L. Rahul (captain), Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane, Hanuma Vihari, Rishabh Pant, Ravichandran Ashwin, Shardul Thakur, Mohammed Shami, Japsrit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj.
