India look to scratch 31-year itch

Centurion: Weeks after failing to overcome the World Cup hump, India arrived in South Africa to salve the trauma of November 19 in batches.

Their Twenty20 International squad drew the series 1-1. Their One-Day International squad claimed the series 2-1. 

Now, their red-ball unit takes on a challenge arguably bigger than the ones it has had to defend itself against over the last month. 

India might have won the 50-over World Cup a couple of times, but they have never won a series in South Africa. And so, with many still-recovering members of the World Cup squad in attendance and eager, India will face South Africa in two Tests, starting from Johannesburg. 

The parties will then head to Cape Town for the second Test, and while that dampens some of the holiday spirit, it will provide plenty of entertainment to those willing to suspend the festivities for a moment and watch two world-class sides in action.

This might be the No. 1 ranked side in the world against the fourth-best side, but the South African side cannot be restricted to numbers and statistics. 

Historically, they have found ways to grind India down, and have also relied on the most unexpected of characters to deliver them these victories. 

In fact, South Africa have always depended on cohesion and an acute understanding of conditions to put even the best of India’s travelling sides to shade but not shame. 

Shame, perhaps, is too heavy a term in the case of the Indian team because even as recently as a couple of years ago, they put up quite a fight. 

It may not have seemed so because South Africa won the last two Tests after India pulled off a win in Cape Town in the first, but during the course, the Virat Kohli-led side showed up.   

But, here we are. Only, this is arguably a better-balanced Indian team than the ones of yore. 

Granted, there is no Rishabh Pant or Mohammed Shami, but Rohit Sharma has enough players left on the conveyor of talent to pick and choose from. 

More importantly, it helps that they have a Swiss army knife in KL Rahul. Rahul is going to keep wickets and play in the middle order, furthering the balance. 

As for the pace attack, which as you would expect is crucial for a series like this one, it will comprise Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj for certain. 

The management will have a call on which two among Shardul Thakur, Prasidh Krishna and Mukesh Kumar get a go, but the former two will join the established duo for they also offer some ballast with batting. 

The spin unit will depend entirely on R Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja, both of whom can bat. 

It seems counterproductive given India’s batting strength - which chronologically reads: Rohit, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Viral Kohli, Shubman Gill and Rahul as of now - but against South Africa in South Africa, the longer the tail, the better the prospects. 

South Africa aren’t of the same mindset. Instead, they will rely on players to deliver on their roles. 

While Temba Bavuma’s side doesn’t have the x-factor of sides before, they have numerous players who are built thick and ready to grind oppositions down. 

Basically, it’s the case of an unstoppable force against an immovable object. Only, this is cricket, and one of these teams will have to give way.

Teams (from): South Africa: Temba Bavuma (capt), David Bedingham, Nandre Burger, Gerald Coetzee, Tony de Zorzi, Dean Elgar, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Aiden Markram, Wiaan Mulder, Lungi Ngidi, Keegan Petersen, Kagiso Rabada, Tristan Stubbs, Kyle Verreynne (wk).

India: Rohit Sharma (capt), Shubman Gill, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (wk), Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, Mohammed Siraj, Mukesh Kumar, Jasprit Bumrah (vice-capt), Prasidh Krishna, KS Bharat (wk), Abhimanyu Easwaran.

Rain likely to hamper opening Test

As India embark on what is being touted the ‘final frontier’ yet again the rain gods will have their say during the opening Test in Centurion if not the duration of the series. For the past couple of days it has rained incessantly in Centurion and the surrounding areas prompting weather experts to suggest that it will be difficult to get a full day’s play for the remainder of the Test.   The weather in Cape Town is much the same at the moment but with over a week left before the second Test starts on January 3 2024 the weather can be expected to ease up.