India's vice-captain for the three-match Test series against South Africa, KL Rahul addressed the media on Friday, a couple of days ahead of the opening match in Centurion. Standing in as Virat Kohli's deputy in the absence of newly-appointed Test vice-captain Rohit Sharma, Rahul took questions on India's possible team combination for the opening Test in Centurion. The opening batter hinted at a five-bowler strategy for the Boxing Day Test. Asked if playing four bowlers, which allows an extra batter in the line-up, becomes a workload management problem for the team, Rahul replied in the affirmative.
"Every team wants to pick up 20 wickets to win Test match. We have used that tactic and it has helped us in every Test match that we have played away," Rahul said during Friday's virtual media interaction.
"Workload also becomes slightly easier to manage with five bowlers and when you have that kind of quality (in Indian ranks), I think, we might as well use it," the senior opener said, making it amply clear that a fourth pacer will play.
Rahul also agreed with rival seamer Duanne Oliver's assertion that Supersport Park track is slow to begin with and quickens up later only to again taper off towards the end of the match.
"I think Duanne Oliver will know these conditions a lot better than us and yes, last time, we played here, the wicket started off bit slow and then quickened up and then became slow again.
"It's been that kind of a pitch, we have had centre wicket practice and we experienced the same things, we tried to prepare accordingly."
(With PTI inputs)