The exciting South Africa vs Pakistan 2024-25 will kick off with the opening Test match on Boxing Day at Supersport Park in Centurion, South Africa from Thursday.
Pakistan are keen to carry the momentum of their 2-1 Test series win over England at home and 3-0 whitewash of the hosts in the preceding ODI series. Pakistan are fighting history as they have won only two of their 15 Tests in South Africa, losing 12 and drawing just one.
Telecomeasia.net looks at the key player battles in the two-match Test series.
Shan Masood vs Kagiso Rabada
Pakistan's Test skipper Shan Masood knows how to bat in South Africa from his experience in the 2018-19 series. Pakistan was whitewashed 3-0 by a strong South Africa but Masood topped the batting for Pakistan with 228 runs in six innings. Dale Steyn and Duanne Olivier troubled Masood in that series.
Kagiso Rabada dismissed him once and knows how to stop the Pakistan opener.
Masood started his career against South Africa in Abdu Dhabi in 20313-14 series and has always liked the challenge South African pacers throw at him. With the responsibilities of captain Masood needs to score big runs if Pakistan want to win their first-ever Test series in South Africa.
Mohammad Abbas vs Aiden Markaram
Abbas is returning to Pakistan's Test folds after a gap of three years. His recent form in the English county championship for Hampshire and in the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy -- Pakistan's premier first class tournament -- augurs well for Pakistan. Abbas took just five wickets in the two Tests in South Africa six years ago. One of them was South Africa top order batter Aiden Markram.
This time too, Abbas poses challenges for the right-hander. His knack to swing and seam the ball places him in a good stead.
Saim Ayub vs Marco Jansen
Saim Ayub has had a steller year in international cricket. Criticised for not living up to his potential the left-hander was under pressure when he started the tour in Australia. He hit 82 not out in only his second ODI and then hit a hundred in Zimbabwe. But Pakistan's 3-0 rout of South Africa saw Saim playing a starring role as the 22-year-old smashed two hundreds. He hit Marco Jansen for sixes in his typical "no look" shot on the leg side.
The 6 feet, eight inch tall Jansen has been flyin high in red-ball cricket. Jansen took a career best 7-13 and 4-17 to rock Sri Lanka in the Durba Test last month. His rising and swinging delivery will pose a real challenge for Saim.
Temba Bavuma vs Naseem Shah
Naseem Shah has never played a Test against South Africa. So he will be up and kicking to show his mettle in the Rainbow Nation, known for some of the greatest fast bowlers in world cricket. Naseem has a special liking for South Africa skipper Temba Bavuma who he dismissed in both the ODIs. Bavuma did not play in the first ODI.
But Bavuma is an established batter in red-ball cricket. He cracked 70 and 113 in the Dubran Test and followed them up with 78 and 66 in the second at Gqeberha to prove he is good in Test matches. He will be up for the Naseem Shah challenge.
