• Source:JND
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India's tour of South Africa: India are set to face South Africa in the all-format tour but will have extra motivation to attempt for their maiden Test series win there.

However, the former Indian opener Aakash Chopra said that it is unlikely that the Mern in Blue will clean-sweep the hosts in any format because they are not playing their best team.

India and South Africa will first face off in the three-match T20I squad, followed by as many ODI matches before they lock horns in two Test matches.

 

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The visitors will have different captains across formats on the tour due to the absence of a few senior players.

"I don't see a chance of a clean sweep anywhere. We are not playing a very good team in ODIs and they are also not playing a very good team. However, the conditions will still favor them and they have had a decent World Cup," Chopra said while previewing the tour on his YouTube channel.

"I see South Africa as a slight favorite in this entire series. I could be completely wrong and I hope I am wrong, but I am seeing a few more matches going in favor of South Africa. It can be 5-3 in favor of South Africa," he further added.

The last time India traveled to South Africa was in the 2021-22 season when they lost both the ODI and Test series.

They lost the Test series 1-2 and were cleansweeped 0-3 in the ODI series.

This time, India will play only 2 Test matches against South Africa as a part of the World Test Championship calendar.

While senior players like Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Jasprit Bumrah are not part of the white-ball leg, Suryakumar Yadav will be leading the side in the T20I series.

KL Rahul was named the captain for the ODIs where three matches will be played before Rohit's return to lead the Test team with Kohli and Bumrah also in the squad.

India had a remarkable campaign at the ODI World Cup 2023 before they lost the final against Australia. They picked up a massive victory over the Proteas in the league stage, beating them by 243 runs in Kolkata.

 

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The Men in Blue followed it with a T20I series win at home as the young team emerged victorious 4-1 against Australia.