The Indian cricket team hit the ground running on the first day of the New Year on Saturday, beginning their preparations for the second Test at the Wanderers, scheduled to commence on January 3.
India are leading the series 1-0 after winning the first Test at SuperSport Park by 113 runs. The Virat Kohli-led side signed off from a memorable 2021 in Test cricket by becoming the first Asian side to win a Test at Centurion.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) posted a 32-second video of the Indian team training at the ‘Bullring’. “We are here at The Wanderers to prepare for the 2nd Test. New Day. New Year. New Start. Same Focus. Lets GO #TeamIndia | #SAvIND,” read the caption of the video posted by the BCCI.
The video showed visuals of players going through taking laps of the stadium, followed by senior pacer Ishant Sharma doing some bowling practice. The video then cut to captain Virat Kohli batting in the practice sessions followed by head coach Rahul Dravid having a chat with top-order batter Cheteshwar Pujara.
In their history of touring South Africa since the country was re-admitted into international cricket since 1991, India boasts of an impressive record at the Wanderers, having never lost a Test match here.
In five Tests played at Johannesburg, India have won twice and drawn thrice. For South Africa, they have played here 48 times, winning 18, losing 13 and drawing 11 matches.
It is at this venue where Dravid got his maiden Test hundred in 1997 and India won it’s first-ever Test match in South Africa in 2006. Interestingly, India’s dominating run overseas has roots in Johannesburg, when they won the third Test in 2018 by 63 runs on an extremely tough pitch.
