Team India All Set To Take On The Proteas in SA

South Africa intends to see how India fares against a barrage of fast balls on juicy pitches from Thursday and put under scrutiny India’s rise to the top of the world Test cricket rankings.India climbed to No. 1, thanks to spinning out opponents, and for nearly two and a half years it has gone undefeated in its last nine series, winning seven. However, only one of those victories — against New Zealand in 2009 — was outside the subcontinent and away from India’s favored slow, turning and mainly batter-friendly pitches.
If the South African plans come to fruition, the only slow turn the Indians will see in the next three weeks is the minute hand on their watches.
“We are not going to give them turning tracks here, that’s not going to happen,” South Africa coach Corrie van Zyl said, smiling. “We are hopefully going to play on wickets that’s going to benefit our style of play. There has been a lot of talk about pace and bounce and that is what we would like to see from our South African wickets.
“On the short stuff, it is part of Test cricket and will definitely be part of this series. Short stuff is good but it’s important that it’s part of a plan.”
The Proteas back their aggressive pace attack — led by No. 1 Test bowler Dale Steyn and the 1.96-meter (6-feet-5-inch) Morne Morkel — against a formidable India batting lineup centered around Sachin Tendulkar and explosive opener Virender Sehwag.
South Africa represents the final frontier for India, which has yet to win a Test series in the fast bowler-friendly conditions in the republic. Since South Africa’s readmission to international cricket in 1992, it has won all four home series against India. India has played 12 tests, and only won one.
“It’s not always about history and what you have done in the past or what you have achieved in the past,” India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni said this week. “It’s always better, when it comes to international cricket, not to think too much about the stats.
“It’s always the same once you leave the subcontinent, how you are going to face the short stuff. We have performed well outside of the subcontinent. It’s all about adapting to the conditions and, at the same time, what kind of bowlers you are facing and what kind of form they are in.”
India is well placed to deal with any fast bowling onslaught.The 37-year-old Tendulkar has more Test runs (14,366) and centuries (49) than any other player in cricket history. A series victory in South Africa would cap one of cricket’s most complete careers.
He leads a batting lineup brimming with talent.
There’s the destructive strokeplay of Sehwag, the grit of Rahul Dravid and the sublime ability of VVS Laxman. Gautam Gambhir and Suresh Raina have also contributed outstanding recent performances for India and Dhoni provides a potent threat down the order.
India coach Gary Kirsten, a former South Africa batsman who has played 101 Tests, will also provide local knowledge — a big advantage for the team, says Dhoni. Kirsten brought the bulk of the Test team to South Africa a week early to adjust to local conditions at his academy in his home city, Cape Town.
“Having Gary in the side will really help us and not only with the conditions,” Dhoni said. “He also knows the mindset of the players that are part of the (South African) side. So, of course, it’s a good asset. Apart from having good players in the side, he is the best thing that has happened to Indian cricket.”
Asked about Kirsten’s likely influence on the series, Van Zyl wryly responded: “He’s not playing, is he?” The coach then suggested the early arrival of the Test players means India is “worried” but said Kirsten would surely “benefit” the visitors’ chances.India’s bowling attack could also make the most of the fast pitches, with quicks Zaheer Khan, left-armer Ishant Sharma and Shanthakumaran Sreesanth all capable performers.
Conversely, South Africa has strong batting ability in captain Graeme Smith, all-rounder Jacques Kallis and two outstanding recent run-getters — AB de Villiers and Hashim Amla.
They all helped South Africa win 10 and draw four of the team’s last 15 Test series.It promises to be a compelling contest from Thursday at Centurion’s SuperSport Park — where India has never played a Test and where the hosts have won 11 of 15 matches.
“Both sides are really good sides and both are doing really well if you see their last 10 or 15 Test matches,” Dhoni said. “There is plenty of hype created around this series. So hopefully the kind of cricket the teams will play, hopefully it will satisfy the spectators.”
The only unwelcome distraction could be the weather, with persistent rain forecast around Centurion and Pretoria for the rest of the week.Following the Test series, the teams will play five one-day internationals and a lone Twenty20 which will celebrate the careers of Tendulkar and retired Proteas fast bowler Makhaya Ntini.
Courtesy : CricketNext