Ind vs SA: 'Team Headshots' Done For India, BCCI Posts Video Ahead of First Test

Johannesburg: Ahead of the first Test match against South Africa, the Indian cricketers did their customary 'team headshots', the video of which was posted by The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on their official Twitter handle and captioned it as, "Team Headshots done. Just a few sleeps away from the first Test. We cannot wait."

Team Headshots done. ✅

Just a few sleeps away from the first Test. 👌

We cannot wait. 👏 👏#TeamIndia | #SAvIND pic.twitter.com/cVBjTmThXl

BCCI (@BCCI) December 22, 2021

The players are seen trooping in one after the other to get their profiles clicked by a photographer in personal protective equipment (PPE).

The Boxing Day Test is set to begin on the 26th December and it is imperative for India to get off to a good start in the series, which many believe is their best chance to win a series in South Africa.

Skipper Virat Kohli, No. 18, was the first to go for the 'headshots', followed by KL Rahul, wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant, Mohd Shami, Jasprit Bumrah, Ishant Sharma, Ajinkya Rahane, Hanuma Vihari, Cheteshwar Pujara, Shardul Thakur, Mohd Siraj, Mayank Agarwal, Shreyas Iyer, Wriddhiman Saha and Ravichandran Ashwin, among others."

Shami also posted his 'headshots' on his Twitter handle and wrote, "Headshot #mshami11".

Headshot #mshami11 pic.twitter.com/vHmA38arHM

Mohammad Shami (@MdShami11) December 21, 2021

Both teams are gearing up for the Test with India head coach Rahul Dravid stressing on "quality practice" and "good intensity", even as the hosts suffered a massive blow on Tuesday as their pace bowler Anrich Nortje was ruled out of the Test series due to a "persistent" hip injury.

The CSA also said that no replacement would be brought in for Nortje, who has been South Africa's premier fast bowler across formats in recent times.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) posted images on Wednesday of the South African team practice session and tweeted, "Preparations are in full swing in the South Africa camp for the exciting Boxing Day Test against India."

India have never won a Test series in South Africa, something skipper Kohli would want to change this time around.

(With IANS Inputs)