Image Credit- AFP
Regretfully, the most lasting memory of India’s
previous Test series in South Africa is their on-field collapse and the way
they let all of their rage spill into the stump mics. The constant refrain was
that the broadcasters were purportedly doing everything in their power to
support the national team. KL Rahul yelled, “A whole nation against 11
guys,” near the stump mics.
India has not shown hostility against the host
broadcasters, despite its initial feelings to the latter. India has brought the
series to a decider on four times, won a Test on four of their last five Test
journeys to South Africa, and were in the lead in two of those tours as
well.
India cannot claim to have been as consistently
competitive in any of the three countries that are usually difficult for Asian
teams to tour—Australia, England, and New Zealand, to name the others—as they
have been in South Africa, even if they have won the last two Test series in
Australia.
It’s not that South Africa is a bad team any longer;
rather, among the top home teams, the nation provides some of the best sporting
environments. The South African weather doesn’t stop the rival bowlers from
competing. Though visiting bowlers are frequently competitive in South Africa
and England, not every team can aspire to have the quality of bowling required
to win in India and Australia. Even England, of late, has been taking spinners
out of the game. In South Africa, though, the visiting spinners can find
something once you move out of the Highveld.
In essence, the nation supports the greatest range of
bowlers. Swing bowlers can be eliminated by Australia, but not by South Africa.
Swing bowlers are necessary in New Zealand, but not in South Africa. Everything
tends to work, from genuine swing to raw velocity to nibbly seam movement at
135 kph. Uneven bounce is typically the main cause of danger in the second
inning, even when lateral movement doesn’t completely disappear.
Not too distant
from being the greatest site to watch Test cricket is South Africa, when you
factor in the beautiful grounds with grass banks and entertaining stadium
activities, like the steel band at St George’s Park and the plunge pool at
Centurion.
Specifically, India has been able to locate bowlers
who consistently maintain their competitiveness in South Africa. India’s
bowlers have only averaged five runs more than South Africa’s in South Africa
since November 2006, and this includes series against some of the best South
African teams. In Australia, it is seven, and in England, it is ten.
The fact that South Africa is the lone location where
India hasn’t won a series may be the reason it pains them the most. They must
have wondered how many more Indian athletes would get to experience something
like this. Fortunately for them, they were able to tour South Africa the next
year thanks to the Future Tours Programme, which was announced later in the
year.
Despite being reduced to just two Tests, this series
once again promises to be one where India will be more than hopeful, as they
have been on their last two tours to this country. And like the previous tours,
you won’t bet against South Africa finding bowlers to hold the fort. It could
come down to fine margins again.