In the recently held Pakistan–South Africa second Test in Rawalpindi, the visitors looked set to slump to a series defeat. In response to Pakistan’s first-innings total of 333, South Africa were struggling at 235 for 8. At that point, Senuran Muthusamy shared vital stands with Keshav Maharaj and Kagiso Rabada to not just take the visitors past Pakistan’s total but also steer them to a healthy lead. The lower order didn’t just guide them to a series-levelling victory, it also said something about South Africa’s resilience.
A couple of weeks later, South Africa ‘A’ produced a collective batting effort to chase down a target of 417 set by India ‘A’. Granted, the pitch had flattened out. It’s also true that most of South Africa A’s players, including star performers Marques Ackerman and Jordan Hermann, won’t be part of the upcoming Test series in India. However, the memorable victory would have boosted the confidence of the senior South African side ahead of the Tests.
So, from India’s point of view, who are the main threats to watch out for? Can the South African batters overcome the challenge of facing India’s formidable spinners?
Here’s a lowdown on South Africa:
South Africa’s biggest strength could be the spin pairing of Maharaj and Simon Harmer. Both have the experience of playing in Indian conditions and possess the necessary skills to make inroads into the Indian batting unit.
Harmer has bagged 26 wickets at an average of 27.38 in Asia, including 10 Test wickets in India. The veteran spinner can bowl both over-spin and side-spin, while maintaining excellent control. He can extract turn at pace and employ the undercutter effectively. Meanwhile, Maharaj had a chastening experience in India in 2019, when he averaged over 80 with the ball. But since then, he has grown in stature and refined his game.
The left-arm spinner bowls with exemplary control. He uses the width of the crease cleverly and employs subtle changes in his release point to befuddle even the best batters. Maharaj’s contributions don’t end with his wicket-taking ability, like Harmer, he is also a useful batter down the order.
If we shift focus to the batting side of things, South Africa might face problems against spinners like Kuldeep Yadav, Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar and Axar Patel. Aiden Markram and Temba Bavuma, the two senior hands in the side, average just over 24 and 28 in Asia respectively. Moreover, Tony de Zorzi, Zubayr Hamza, Dewald Brevis, Ryan Rickelton and Tristan Stubbs have barely played Test cricket in India.
Hamza, who has featured in a solitary Test in India, looked a decent player of spin during the India A–South Africa A matches. Although, it must be noted that the pitches for those unofficial Tests hardly assisted the spinners. Brevis, the new kid on the block, can take on the slow bowlers with his aggressive stroke play. He showed glimpses of that ability in the Pakistan Tests. The main goal for the right-hand heavy batting unit would be to negate the threat posed by Kuldeep and India’s left-arm spinners.
Even though conditions aren’t expected to suit the pacemen, the onus will be on Kagiso Rabada, Marco Jansen and Corbin Bosch to chip in with wickets by generating old-ball swing. The South African pacers will also need to maintain discipline when there’s little assistance for fast bowlers.
In the final analysis, the World Test Champions might have a few deficiencies, but there’s still enough firepower in their ranks to give India a genuine run for their money in home conditions.
Also Read: Kuldeep Yadav: The X-Factor Spinner India Needs at Eden Gardens