Selection headache has been a common for the India and South Africa outfits in the run up to the opening Test which begins in Cape Town on Friday.

By all reports, its clear that a green wicket will be on offer at Newlands. However, the prevalent drought conditions in Cape Town have left some doubt over the likelihood of the wicket staying true from day three onwards, bringing the spinners into play.

While the matter of fitting star pacer Dale Steyn into the playing XI has landed South Africa skipper Faf du Plessis in a quandary, the story is not very different for Virat Kohli and the Indian team management, who have the unenviable task of reworking their composition which has remained constant through the long home season.

India is likely to go for a combination of five batsmen and as many bowlers.

Here’s a look at the possible XI that Kohli might field in Cape Town.

Openers

  • Shikhar Dhawan and Murali Vijay

Dhawan gave India its first injury scare just before the team departed for South Africa. A minor ankle injury had laid him low and there was fear that he might not be fit for the opening Test. KL rahul, India’s third choice opener was set to replace him in the playing XI.

The Delhi batsman’s return to fitness, though, makes him a clear favourite to walk into the side. He has been a consistent performer for India through the past year.

Dhawan’s partnership with Murali Vijay at top of the order has resulted in rich dividends for India off late. Dhawan’s aggressive style coupled with Vijay’s stoic defence has managed to give India solid starts in the past.

India is unlikely to tinker with its established opening combination.

No 3 & 4

  • Cheteshwar Pujara and Virat Kohli

Pujara at No 3 and Kohli at No 4, form the core of the Indian batting line-up. Against South Africa’s fiery pace battery, it is these two who will be key if India are to post a sizeable total each time it’s the visitors turn to bat.

Both Kohli and Pujara have been India’s mosts consistent batsmen in Tests off late. The duo’s hot and cold dynamic is ideal for the team as it looks to form partnerships in the middle after the departure of the openers.

To put it mildly, any experimentation in these two slots would be ill-advised.

No 5

  • Rohit Sharma

India will want to put its best foot forward in the opening Test of a tough tour. A bright start is the best approach if India are to accomplish their task of winning their first Test series in the Rainbow Nation in 25 years.

India’s regular No 5 batsman Ajinkya Rahane is currently woefully out of form. He had scored only 17 runs in five innings against Sri Lanka at home. Since the England series at home, he has scored 617 runs at an average of 26.82 over a period of 14 Tests with the only hundred coming against a below par Sri Lanka at Pallekele.

Rohit, on the other hand, smashed two fifties and a ton in the three innings he played. After a lengthy spell on the sidelines, he grabbed his opportunity with both hands.

With India heading into the overseas tour without a warm-up game, there is little scope to assess how Rahane has fared since the Sri Lanka debacle. Rohit was at the fore-front in the limited overs leg of the Sri Lanka series and will be full of confidence having notched up another ODI double ton.

Rahane remains one India’s most successful batsmen in overseas conditions, but on current form, Rohit should sneak in if Kohli opts to play five batsmen.

All-rounder

  • Hardik Pandya

Pandya has provided India the rare talent that they had been yearning for, over the past few years. A fast-bowling all-rounder is hard to come by in the Indian cricket set-up (just ask MS Dhoni) which is filled with spinners who can also bat. Pandya has not only proved his worth in the limited overs format, but has also been impressive in India’s Test set-up. He already has a blistering century to his name in the longest format.

With the ball, though, he’s still unproven. His best figures so far – 2/31 against Sri Lanka. The most number of overs he has bowled in an innings till date is 15. He will, however, back himself to deliver the goods overseas. The 24-year-old is in the form of his life at the moment and that Kohli thrives on having players who possess bags of self-confidence.

Wicket-keeper

  • Wriddhiman Saha

India have taken Parthiv Patel as a back-up keeper for the Test series. However, barring injury, it is unlikely that Saha will be sidelined. After MS Dhoni’s retirement from Test cricket, the two had fought tooth and nail for the spot in the 2015/16 domestic season. Saha had won that battle and has since cemented his place in the India XI with some impressive performances. He will now want to prove his worth in overseas conditions. The team management are unlikely to deny him that chance.

Spinner

  • R Ashwin

The dry conditions in Cape Town could see the pitch crack up Day 3 onwards. Spinners are expected to play a role in the latter stage of the game and Ashwin will be hoping to make his mark. Ravindra Jadeja was another option for India, however, the southpaw has been laid low with a viral illness and chances of him recovering in time for the first Test seem bleak.

Cape Town has traditionally known to be helpful to spinners in the latter stages of a Test, and Ashwin is an ideal exponent to make most of such conditions. Having lost his place in India’s limited overs outfit, Ashwin will want to ensure that, in the longest format, he is undroppable.

Fast Bowlers

  • Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mohammed Shami, Ishant Sharma

Understatement alert: Pacers are key to India’s campaign in South Africa.

Wickets with pace and bounce are a constant across venues in the African nation. Fortunately for India, they have arrived in with all their pacers at the top of their game.

India’s pace attack is likely to be headed by Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Mohammed Shami - Kohli’s trusted lieutenants in conditions aiding seam bowling. The former’s accuracy when it comes to controlling the swinging ball makes him an automatic pick. Same for Shami, who has been one of India’s most effective bowlers in the Test arena.

Jasprit Bumrah has also travelled with the team, but him getting his debut in the opening Test looks unlikely.

Umesh Yadav with his pace is also a likely pick, however, Ishant Sharma’s presence in the squad, could tempt the management to go for the lanky Delhi pacer. He is India’s most experienced fast bowler and has played in these consitions before. His height allows him to run in and hit the deck hard, which will allow him to make full use of the bounce on offer. He has been going in and out of the India side for a while now and will want to show off his skills in overseas conditions. And in comparison to Umesh, who has a tendency to be erratic, Ishant will offer Kohli control.

With series of England and Australia coming up, Ishant will want to prove his worth and cement his place in the India Test set-up.

Full Squad

Virat Kohli (captain), M Vijay, KL Rahul, Shikhar Dhawan, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane (vice-captain), Rohit Sharma, Wriddhiman Saha (wk), R Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Parthiv Patel, Hardik Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mohammed Shami, Ishant Sharma, Umesh Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah.