Fanie de Villiers, the former South African pacer, was quite impressed with the discipline shown by the Indian fast bowling unit during the recently concluded World Cup. According to him, the current form of Bumrah and company would give an edge to the visitors during the upcoming two-match Test series against the Proteas, which gets underway at Centurion from December 26. In this exclusive chat, de Villiers shared his thoughts on India’s chances in the series, the key for pacers to get success in South Africa, why Bumrah can make a difference, the current crop of Proteas fast bowlers, the wickets and conditions on offer in Centurion and Cape Town. Here are the excerpts:
Talking about the Indian fast bowlers, how do you rate their performances in recent times?
De Villiers: I was pleasantly surprised to see the discipline that your bowlers exhibited at the World Cup, for the first time in history of your bowling unit. The guys were bowling a solid line. I am not talking about the length. I am talking about the line, and that has always been a big secret of South African cricket, where lines that we bowled were better than any other team in most cases. For the first time, your bowlers were better than most. You should have won the World Cup. One of the reasons you did well was your bowlers bowled a consistent line over and outside off stump and that puts a lot of pressure on any batsman. The discipline of bowling a good line.
Do you reckon this time India has the best chance to win a Test series? If so, why?
De Villiers: Talking about the upcoming series, if you guys go anywhere close to that consistent line and adapt to the length where you play, it’s going to be tough for us to beat you. I would say if you stick to the disciplined line, you have 60 percent, if not more chance, to beat us in our own backyard. Your fast bowlers are experienced. The key ingredient is the Indian wickets got quicker over time.
How do you rate the current fast bowling department of India?
De Villiers: I don’t think, over the years, you had a fast-bowling unit like you have now. This is the first time you have a bowling that can put pressure on us with pace and line. That’s going to make a massive difference. Yes, we have the luxury of the length that we can probably use better than most, but your line is the key. That’s the reason you have never won a Test series here before.
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How do you look forward to the contest this time between the Proteas’ batters and Bumrah?
De Villiers: Well, it’s a common knowledge in this country that the bowler that gets the ball to swing consistently will be the better player on our home soil. If you look at Bumrah, Siraj and Shami, who was brilliant here before, they are fantastic attacking bowlers. Again, the line is going to be crucial but the extra swing that one or two can extract, like Bumrah – that’s going to be lethal. Most modern-day fast bowlers can do it these days, but I will be looking at the expertise out of the hand – how they can swing the ball in the air in this country will be crucial.
How do you see the wicket and conditions both in Centurion and Cape Town, and what will be key in getting success there as a fast bowler?
De Villiers: The one thing you must realise when you look at Centurion and Cape Town, the conditions at Newlands are sometimes more conducive to swing. In the past, we have seen Philander and Steyn bowling teams out for nothing because of their ability to swing the ball. Yes, in the past, we probably made batters play more than others. If you can control that swing, it will work to your advantage. Both grounds give you that swing and with the humidity, especially this time of the year, up north. The key will be to make the batters play at least four balls in an over. These are little key ingredients and that is to attack enough with the new ball. You cannot get batsman to leave more than two balls outside off stump. You need to make them play four to five times even using the crease – landing wider and aiming towards leg stump if the ball swings away. Not just landing close to the wickets. The more it swings, the wider you try and land away from the stumps. These kind of little intricacies in bowling are massively important in this country because of the bounce. You can actually leave the ball on bounce if it swings and you know you’re probably going to be safe. But again, it is the line which is probably the most important part of this Test series for your fast bowlers.
How do you see the Proteas’ pace bowling line-up, with the likes of Gerald Coetzee, Kagiso Rabada and Marco Jansen?
De Villiers: We are struggling with it at this stage as we have young bowlers. Even senior bowlers are getting old. Rabada can do it, but I can’t give you any names other than Rabada who can bowl a solid line. The odds are very much on your side and I looking forward to seeing the two bowling units compete. Talking about the batsmen, both sides have some very good batters. The bowlers are going to be the key in the series.
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