Test Record in South Africa in Cape Town

Faf says: We will have a bat. The wicket is slow and it will get better to bat on as the day wears on. I don't look too much into stats. The conditions have changed over the last two years.
When we played Sri Lanka here it was slow initially and then it quickened up nicely. We are playing four seamers and a spinner which means one less batsman. Temba Bavuma misses out.

Jasprit Bumarh is making his Test debut

Virat Kohli says: Looking at the amount of the grass we would have bowled first. We want to unsettle them in the first 15-20 overs.
We will have three quicks and Hardik Pandya as the all-rounder. Ashwin is the lone spinner. Jasprit Bumarh is making his Test debut.

Ajinkya Rahane may pay the price for poor home run

Rahane’s form has been wretched since the start of the home series against England in late 2016. Since the start of the series,
Rahane has scored 617 runs at an average of 26.82 over a period of 14 Tests with the only hundred coming against a below par Sri Lanka at Pallekele.

Steyn needs just five wickets to become South Africa's leading wicket-taker in Tests

In 13 Tests at Newlands, Dale Steyn has taken 65 wickets at an average of a shade under 22. His overall record against India is remarkably similar - 13 Tests,
63 wickets at 21.4. In two Tests against India at Newlands he has 12 wickets at 17. Steyn needs just five wickets to become South Africa's leading wicket-taker in Tests.

Sanjay Bangar hinted Rohit Sharma could edge Ajinkya Rahane for a place in India XI

"As of now, the conditions that we found is, we are expecting that it will seam around a bit on day one. But days two and three are going to be very good batting conditions. We'll take a call tomorrow morning about
the extent of moisture in the surface and we'll take it from there." - Sanjay Bangar kept India's potential 'combinations' close to his chest, when asked to categorically state if this was a four- or five-bowler kind of wicket.

We have a score to settle with India

"I sent the Ferrari into the panelbeaters, just to get fixed. It was frustrating at times because everything (in the recovery) happened slower than I thought it would.
It's 11 weeks now and I feel now like I'm finally ready to play." - Faf du Plessis talks about his injury layoff, which has kept him out of action since October.

Virat Kohli scored three Test double centuries in 2017

All the double sessions in the week gone by meant India decided to rest their collective heels on the day before the Test. Ravindra Jadeja's illness has virtually eased one selection decision for India. Given his good recent form, the green-looking wicket and the fact that it's the first Test of the series,
India will use the additional batting insurance that Rohit Sharma provides at No. 6. The team management have a call to make on the opening and bowling combinations and on the evidence of Wednesday's training, it would appear that KL Rahul and Umesh Yadav will likely sit the Newlands Test out.

AB de Villiers is poised to play for South Africa against India

What to expect: Since encountering what Faf du Plessis termed "extreme conditions" in India in 2015, South Africa have been eager to exact some sort of revenge. To that end they will prepare lively pitches for this series, but Newlands is likely to be the most balanced of the three venues so far as bat and ball are concerned.
There will be some movement at times, but generally a true surface expected with good bounce and carry. Or, as du Plessis put it, "nothing extreme". Day three could experience some light showers but otherwise the forecast is good.