Proteas win toss and bat, Stubbs makes his debut at Newlands

Stand-in captain Dean Elgar won the toss and chose to bat in the second Test against India — his last — at Newlands on Wednesday.

The home team made three changes to the side that won the opening match at Centurion by an innings and 32 runs. Two of those were enforced, with Tristan Stubbs making his debut in place of Temba Bavuma, while Lungi Ngidi replaced Gerald Coetzee, who has a hip problem. Keshav Maharaj was brought into the starting XI, with Keegan Petersen dropped.

Stubbs, 23, impressed Proteas coach Shukri Conrad during the South Africa A tour to Sri Lanka last July, making 100 on a spinning track in the first of two four-day matches against Sri Lanka A. He has also been in good form for the Warriors in the domestic Four-Day series, scoring 253 runs at an average of 50.60 in three matches.

India made two changes to their side, with Ravi Jadeja replacing Ravi Ashwin, while Mukesh Kumar, comes in for Shardul Thakur.

Meanwhile, police moved a small gathering of pro-Palestine protesters from the gates in Campground Road to allow those with tickets entry into the venue. One of the protesters held a small sign saying “Smash Israhell for 6!!”

The group also criticised CSA for what they felt was support for Israel, after South Africa under-19 captain David Teeger, who had expressed his support for the Israel Defence Forces at an awards evening in October, was exonerated after an independent inquiry.

TEAMS

South Africa: Dean Elgar (capt), Aiden Markram, Tony de Zorzi, David Bedingham, Tristan Stubbs, Kyle Verreynne, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi, Nandre Burger

India: Rohit Sharma (capt), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, KL Rahul, Shreyas Iyer, Ravi Jadeja, Ravi Ashwin, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammad Siraj Mukesh Kumar