IND vs SA: After a five-month hiatus from Test cricket, Team India gears up for an epic South African on their home turf which is starting on December 26. The formidable lineup will include the much-anticipated return of Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, and Jasprit Bumrah, who are eager to overcome the World Cup final defeat against Australia.For Indian cricket, breaking the 31-year jinx in South Africa holds immense significance. With stalwarts like Kohli and Rohit at the peak of their careers, this series carries the weight of history and hope for Indian spectators.KL Rahul to play as WicketkeeperAnother key returnee is KL Rahul, who recovered from injury to reclaim his place in the whites. Interestingly, Rahul might take on a new role – wicketkeeper. Head coach Rahul Dravid openly hinted at this transition, citing Rahuls confidence and experience in the ODI format.Its an exciting challenge, Dravid explained. With Ishan unavailable, we had a couple of keepers to choose from, and Rahul is very confident. He hasnt done it much in Tests, but hes proven himself in ODIs, which is no easy feat.The Indian head coach said, He has done a lot of keeping in the past five-six months. One of the things here is that there is more pace bowling than spin, which will ease him into the role. We will see how it goes. It is nice to have someone like him, someone who has the ability with the bat and keep. The pace-dominated pitches in South Africa, unlike the spin-centric Indian home grounds, further ease Rahuls transition, according to Dravid. This tactical shift holds exciting possibilities, adding versatility to an already-potent lineup.
