<p>Mumbai batsman Rohit Sharma will lead the President’s XI in the match before the two-Test series, in which a 2-0 win will ensure that the Proteas replace India on top of the ICC Test rankings.<br /><br />A 1-0 result, however, will see both the parties level on 123 rating points.<br />Vidarbha Cricket Association stadium here will host the first Test from February 6, followed by the second match at Eden Gardens in Kolkata from February 14.<br />Second-ranked South Africa was recently wrecked by a controversy when Mickey Arthur stepped down as coach citing differences with the cricket board last week.<br />The entire selection committee, headed by former all-rounder Mike Procter, was also sacked following a 1-1 draw with England at home. Graeme Smith’s men, however, would try to leave these bitter memories behind and go all out to regain the numero uno Test team status.<br /><br />National high performance coach Corrie Van Zyl has been appointed as the interim coach for the visitors for the Indian tour which also includes three-match ODI series. <br />On the other hand, young Indian players like paceman Abhimanyu Mithun, who has already got a call into the Test squad, Manpreet Gony and Shikhar Dhawan would also like to prove their mettle in the match.<br /><br />It will also be a test for Rohit and Piyush Chawla to reclaim their spot in the Indian squad after being in and out of the team for sometime.<br /><br />Teams (from):South Africa: Graeme Smith (capt), Hashim Amla, Ashwell Prince, AB de Villiers, Jacques Kallis, Jean-Paul Duminy, Alviro Petersen, Mark Boucher, Paul Harris, Johan Botha, Ryan McLaren, Morne Morkel, Wayne Parnell, Dale Steyn, Lonwabo Tsotsobe.<br />President’s XI: Rohit Sharma (capt), Abhinav Mukund, Parthiv Patel, Ajinkya Rahane, Manish Pandey, Cheteshwar Pujara, Abhishek Nayar, Piyush Chawla, R Ashwin, R Vinay Kumar, Abhimanyu Mithun, Shikhar Dhawan, Umesh Yadav, Manpreet Gony.</p>
<p>Mumbai batsman Rohit Sharma will lead the President’s XI in the match before the two-Test series, in which a 2-0 win will ensure that the Proteas replace India on top of the ICC Test rankings.<br /><br />A 1-0 result, however, will see both the parties level on 123 rating points.<br />Vidarbha Cricket Association stadium here will host the first Test from February 6, followed by the second match at Eden Gardens in Kolkata from February 14.<br />Second-ranked South Africa was recently wrecked by a controversy when Mickey Arthur stepped down as coach citing differences with the cricket board last week.<br />The entire selection committee, headed by former all-rounder Mike Procter, was also sacked following a 1-1 draw with England at home. Graeme Smith’s men, however, would try to leave these bitter memories behind and go all out to regain the numero uno Test team status.<br /><br />National high performance coach Corrie Van Zyl has been appointed as the interim coach for the visitors for the Indian tour which also includes three-match ODI series. <br />On the other hand, young Indian players like paceman Abhimanyu Mithun, who has already got a call into the Test squad, Manpreet Gony and Shikhar Dhawan would also like to prove their mettle in the match.<br /><br />It will also be a test for Rohit and Piyush Chawla to reclaim their spot in the Indian squad after being in and out of the team for sometime.<br /><br />Teams (from):South Africa: Graeme Smith (capt), Hashim Amla, Ashwell Prince, AB de Villiers, Jacques Kallis, Jean-Paul Duminy, Alviro Petersen, Mark Boucher, Paul Harris, Johan Botha, Ryan McLaren, Morne Morkel, Wayne Parnell, Dale Steyn, Lonwabo Tsotsobe.<br />President’s XI: Rohit Sharma (capt), Abhinav Mukund, Parthiv Patel, Ajinkya Rahane, Manish Pandey, Cheteshwar Pujara, Abhishek Nayar, Piyush Chawla, R Ashwin, R Vinay Kumar, Abhimanyu Mithun, Shikhar Dhawan, Umesh Yadav, Manpreet Gony.</p>
