India will take on South Africa in the third and final Test Match which starts at the Wanderers Stadium today. Team India aims to win the test to prevent a 3-0 washout. India will like to turn the tables and and finish the series on a positive note. However, it will not be an easy job for the Indians.

With the conditions and pitch favouring the hosts, visitors India may find it tough to survive the full five days against South Africa at the Wanderers.

India could witness another typical South African wicket — hard and dry with plenty of bounce — which often provides lots of seam movement up front.

Spinners could also play an important role on the fourth and fifth days, so the inclusion of a tweaker could be helpful in the second innings.

In the batting department, apart from Virat Kohli, all the other batsmen have totally failed to step up to the occasion.

Some of them are guilty of playing reckless shots — which would have worked on a slow pitch — in the first two Tests and coming into the third game, they will have got a measure of the task ahead.

The Indian team is full of stroke-makers like Shikhar Dhawan, Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and Hardik Pandya. Their attitude of dominating the bowlers with a flurry of strokes will not work in the third match.

Instead, they must harness the art of controlling the South African pace quartet by curtailing their habit of going after each and every delivery.

Calls for the inclusion of Ajinkya Rahane, known for his quiet approach, instead of fellow Mumbaikar Rohit Sharma have grown over the last few days.

It will not be a surprise if either Lokesh Rahul or Rohit sit out, while Parthiv Patel may find himself in the openers’ slot.

In ther bowling department, seamers Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami and Hardik Pandya, alongwith lone spinner Ravichandran Ashwin played sensibly but the fielding let them down.

India will be happy looking at the record books at this ground. They have yet to be beaten in Tests, with a win and three draws going back to 1992/93.

On the other hand, South Africa will depend upon Dean Elgar, Hashim Amla, AB de Villiers and Faf du Plessis to score the bulk of their runs.

Rookie pacers Lungi Ngidi, who was the man of the Match in the last game will be crucial once again along with Vernon Philander, Morne Morkel and Kagiso Rabada. Keshav Maharaj will be the lone spinner for the hosts and may play a crucial role in the second innings.

If India manage to draw the final Test, they would remain at number 1 with 120 points while the home team would be on 116 points. A win at the Wanderers would take India to 121 points leading South Africa by 7 points. Apart from the incentive of remaining at the number 1 spot, the Indian team management would also want to use this match to figure out a settled line-up for their overseas tours. After the South African tour, India will head to England for 5 Test matches in July-August and will be going down-under for a 4 Test match series with the Australians.