South Africa will play a Test match for the first time in the Indian capital New Delhi, when the national side embarks on a lengthy tour of the sub-continent nation starting in September and ending in December.
At 72 days the trip is comfortably the longest by a South African team to that country and will encompass a total of 14 matches – 12 of those internationals: three T20s, five One-Dayers and the four Tests. It’s the first time that South Africa will face India in a four-Test series in that country with two of those matches taking place in Mohali and Delhi where the Proteas have never before played a Test match.
Sadly the South Africans miss out on a Test at the iconic Eden Gardens (which will host the third T20 International), with the remaining Tests in Bangalore – where Hansie Cronje’s side famously won, thereby securing what is still South Africa’s only Test series win India – and Nagpur, where Dale Steyn registered his career-best figures in 2010, when he picked up 7/51 in India’s first innings.
The Bangalore match could be significant for one of South Africa’s star players AB de Villiers, who – if fit – could play in his 100th Test match at the MChinnaswamy Stadium, which is virtually a second home for him on account of his contract with the Bangalore Royal Challengers in the IPL.
De Villiers’ sequence of consecutive Test matches since making his debut was halted at 98 ahead of the South Africa’s current series with Bangladesh with De Villiers staying at home to be alongside his wife, Danielle, as she gave birth to the couple’s first child.
South Africa have a reasonable record in India, despite having won just a single series there. In 12 Tests, they have won five and lost five, while drawing twice. They have also only twice played series’ comprising of three Tests on the five tours in which they have played Test matches in that country.
The South African team long ago shed its reputation for battling on slow tracks in the sub-continent. Sure there were some problems in Chittagong last week, but that’s down to a lack of game time and also some new players just starting their international careers.
India will be a severe examination but it doesn’t fill the players with dread like it did 20 years ago. Exposure in the IPL and just a general improvement to how they play spin bowling in those conditions have made South Africa a competitive team in the sub-continent.
In Dale Steyn, they have one of the great fast bowlers, whose 26 wickets in five Tests in India have come at an average of just 20.23.
While the Tests will garner most of the attention, the three match T20 series at the start of the tour will be of great importance to the squad.
The World T20 tournament takes place in India next April, making the matches in Dhar-amsala, Cuttack and Kolkata crucial opportunities in which to gather data.
The five match one-day series will in all likelihood see some more experimenting with player personnel, although after the series defeat in Bangladesh, some of the bigger names may play an increased role. - The Star