India cancel warm-up tie in South Africa

Johannesburg, December 11

Cricket South Africa (CSA) have confirmed that a two-day warm-up match between India and a CSA XI that was scheduled to take place at Boland Park has been called off. India have opted instead to use those two days for training ahead of their three-match Test series, starting in Cape Town on January 5.  

It means that India will go into that first Test without having played a practice match in South Africa. Meanwhile, India have summoned four rookie pacers to travel with the team to South Africa.  The quartet includes Mohammad Siraj, Avesh Khan, Navdeep Saini and Basil Thampi. All these bowlers are capable of hitting the mid 140s and have performed at the Ranji, IPL and India A level. — Agencies