Cape Town (South Africa): While their dream of reaching the final frontier - a Test series win in South Africa remains unfulfilled after their innings defeat in the first Test, the Indian team will be aiming to level the series when they take on the hosts in the second Test here from Wednesday.
The Newlands, one of the most scenic ones in the world, however is a nightmare for India as the country has lost all the six Test matches played at the picturesque venue.
If the Rohit Sharma-led Indian team has to break this dubious record, the skipper, who hails from Mumbai, will have to lead from the front and make his bat do all the talking.
The Indians batters faltered against the formidable South African attack at SuperSport Park in Centurion and the only good thing for them is that at Cape Town they would not face pacer Gerald Coetzee, who has been ruled out owing to an injury.
But left arm pacer Nandre Burger and right arm pacer Kasigo Rabada, who breathed fire in Centurion, will once again pose tough questions at Cape Town too as the surface here aids the seamers. Add to it the firepower of Lungi Ngidi, the South African battery of pacers will be keen to make the Indian batters dance to their tunes once again.
Barring KL Rahul, the Indian batters, who abjectly surrendered in the first Test, would have to click together and put runs on the board. The likes of Shubman Gill, Yashasvi Jaiswal, star batter Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, would need to show their mettle if the Rahul Dravid coached side is keen to level the series.
Virat Kohli scored a half century in the second Innings of the first Test and he would be keen to start from where he left.
KL Rahul was the only saving grace in the first Test as he hit a stroke-filled century and he would be keen to add some more runs to his kitty. He is also expected to don the gloves once again, which means that KS Bharat would warm the benches.
On the bowling front, a prolific Prasidh Krishna, who was unimpressive on his debut is most likely to sit out and in his place Madhya Pradesh seamer Avesh Khan is likely to make his Test debut.
Avesh, who was added to the India Test squad as a replacement for pacer Mohammed Shami, has played for India in ODIs and T20s and if makes the playing eleven tomorrow, it will be a special moment for the speedster from Indore.