Dale Steyn remains a doubtful starter against India in Cape Town (Getty Images)

NEW DELHI: Ahead of their first Test between India and South Africa at Newlands beginning Friday, the visitors are not the only ones surrounded with selection dilemmas. The South African think-tank has plenty to ponder as well, their biggest predicament being Dale Steyn 's place in the playing XI.

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Steyn has had a year-long lay-off since suffering a fracture in his shoulder during the Test series against Australia early last year. Undergoing successful surgery and proper rehab, Steyn, despite having regained full fitness, remains a doubtful starter. The theory was given more meat by South Africa coach Otis Gibson, who hinted that Steyn might not feature in the first Test.

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Gibson's thoughts were echoed by former India captain and batsman Sunil Gavaskar , who in his column for TOI , expressed concern over Steyn's participation.

“Both teams have selection problems, but mainly about their bowling combination. Dale Steyn is fit, but is he match fit? Can he last a full day of bowling? A dislocated shoulder is not the easiest of injuries to recover from. Can that shoulder hurl the ball at speeds of yore? That will be South Africa's dilemma,” Gavaskar said.

“Here is a bowler with over 400 Test wickets to his name. Can they afford to leave him out and even more pertinent after that injury; can they afford to pick him in the eleven? What if he breaks down again?”

India face a similar conundrum in the bowling department. With conditions in South Africa expected, as always, to aid the fast bowlers, India will once again face the dilemma of playing one spinner or two. Adding to their selection woes is a toss-up between Umesh Yadav and Ishant Sharma as the third seamer. Mohammed Shami is a certainty, and given his recent success and batting ability, Bhuvneshwar Kumar should also get the nod.

“India too have a worry about which seamer to leave out and which spinner to pick. Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Mohammed Shami are their first picks, but who will be the third pacer? Umesh Yadav, with his extra pace and the ability to contrast swing the older ball, or the experienced Ishant Sharma who has rediscovered the away going delivery that made him so famous almost ten years ago when he got the Australia skipper Ricky Ponting caught at first slip,” Gavaskar said.

“Against the Lankans, Sharma was getting the ball to deviate nicely away from the right-handers, but his length was again that one and half foot shorter than ideal. Ravindra Jadeja's viral illness does make it bit easy for the Indians to go for Ashwin as the lone spinner, but if Jadeja recovers then Kohli who has more confidence in the left-hander may well opt for him.”

