(Image source: X.com)
[Saba Sports News] Former India batter Aakash Chopra termed South Africa as favourites for all formats when they will host India in December-January for three T20Is, three ODIs and two Tests.
India will be without Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Mohammad Shami and Jasprit Bumrah in the white-ball leg of the tour. Hardik Pandya is also not unavailable as he is yet to recover from the ankle injury. Due to this, India are going in with three different captains for all series. Suryakumar Yadav, KL Rahul and Rohit will lead the side in T20Is, ODIs and Test matches respectively.
While acknowledging that the Proteas too are not coming full-strength, Chopra reckoned that they have better chances than India due to the advantage of playing in their home conditions.
“I don’t see a chance of a clean sweep anywhere. We are not playing a very good team in ODIs and they are also not playing a very good team. However, the conditions will still favor them and they have had a decent World Cup,” Chopra said as quoted on his YouTube channel.
Further, the cricketer-turned-commentator predict the series result, saying that it could end 5-3 in favour of South Africa.
“I see South Africa as slight favourites in this entire series. I could be completely wrong and I hope I am wrong, but I am seeing a few more matches going in favor of South Africa. It can be 5-3 in favor of South Africa,” he added.
In their last tour of South Africa, Team India lost both the Test and the ODI series. They could manage to win a single Test match during the entire five-game assignment.
The upcoming tour will begin with the T20I series on December 10 in Durban.