The hosts picked three spinners on a red-soil surface in Chennai
Toss India opt to bat vs South Africa
India captain Harmanpreet Kaur won the toss and elected to bat in the one-off Test against South Africa, in Chennai on Friday.
With Yastika Bhatia out of the Test with injury, Richa Ghosh will take the gloves. Shubha Satheesh, who made Test debut against England last December but missed the next match against Australia due to finger fracture, was back at No.3 in the XI. On a red-soil pitch India picked three spinners – Deepti Sharma, Sneh Rana and Rajeshwari Gayakwad – with Renuka Singh, who was rested for the last two ODIs in Bengaluru, and Pooja Vastrakar forming the seam attack.
South Africa handed a Test cap to fast bowler Annerie Dercksen, who had made her ODI debut in the first ODI against India. Sinalo Jafta, who missed the last two ODIs due to mild concussion, will return as the keeper. Tazmin Brits and Eliz-Mari Marx were ruled out with illness while Nonkululeko Mlaba is the lead spinner in South Africa’s XI.
India won the ODI leg in Bengaluru, sweeping South Africa 3-0.
India: Smriti Mandhana, Shafali Verma, Shubha Satheesh, Harmanpreet Kaur (capt), Jemimah Rodrigues, Richa Ghosh (wk), Deepti Sharma, Sneh Rana, Pooja Vastrakar, Rajeshwari Gayakwad, Renuka Singh
South Africa: Laura Wolvaardt (capt), Anneke Bosch, Marizanne Kapp, Sune Luus, Delmi Tucker, Nadine de Klerk, Sinalo Jafta (wk), Annerie Dercksen, Nonkulueko Mlaba, Masabata Klaas, Tumi Sekhukhune
Srinidhi Ramanujam is a sub-editor with ESPNcricinfo
