It’s the business end of a captivating Test series, and the Oval is set to host the game for all the marbles.

England stormed their way back at Old Trafford and it’s back in the balance. And now it all boils down to who will blink first under pressure.

After a heavy innings loss, the Proteas had a little over a week to pick up the pieces and assess the situation at hand. The batting has always been under the microscope, and the top six will have to deliver in the high-stakes match in order to better support the bowling unit.

Meanwhile, the hosts are brimming with confidence as they were able to hit back after a forgettable first Test. In fact, they announced an unchanged squad for this game, but an untimely injury for the in-form Jonny Bairstow has marred their plans.

On a similar note, Rassie van der Dussen’s broken finger was confirmed to sideline him from this game. Both teams will make one forced change, as a result.

Potential playing XI’s

It was very likely that Ryan Rickelton will supersede the injured van der Dussen. The left-hander has been in superb touch for Northants and will hope to carry on from where he left off. It was confirmed by Dean Elgar that Rickelton will start.

Secondly, it’s also very likely that Simon Harmer will get switched out for Marco Jansen. Playing a second spinner didn’t work out in the previous game, so South Africa might revert to their original combination from the first Test.

And finally, the debate about Aiden Markram is raging on. One could say that this is the epitome of the sunk cost fallacy. Considering the fact that Markram has been unconditionally backed despite an extended dry run, the management may gravitate towards experience. There’s also the option of giving Khaya Zondo a game, but are they willing to play a newcomer in such a crucial encounter?

Elgar (c)
Erwee
Petersen
Markram
Rickelton
Verreynne (wk)
Jansen
Maharaj
Rabada
Nortje
Ngidi

England have a fairly settled XI, and middle-order batter Harry Brook is primed for a Test debut. The Yorkshire youngster has shown tremendous potential across formats, and more recently, he scored a rollicking 140 for the England Lions.

Given that he has made rapid strides in his development at the highest level, here comes a much-coveted opportunity.

Aside from the introduction of Brook, the rest of the XI should remain as is. Ollie Robinson made an emphatic comeback to the international scene after a lengthy layoff, and the experienced, evergreen duo of Anderson and Broad will be expected to shine yet again.

Lees
Crawley
Pope
Root
Robinson
Stokes (c)
Brook
Foakes (wk)
Broad
Leach
Anderson

Weather report:

Rain will be a threat in the first two days, but there’s a reasonable chance that we’ll get a complete match. Conditions will be overcast and likely favour the bowlers early on.