Hyderabad: Can India return unscathed from South Africa? The one-day series was lost badly, but if the honours are shared in the Test series it will round off a terrific year for Indian cricket.
As I write this piece at tea time on the third day, the Durban Test is still open though South Africa have grabbed some advantage thanks to some brilliant fast bowling by Dale Steyn and steady batting from Graeme Smith, Alviro Peterson, A.B. de Villiers and Jacques Kallis, playing his last Test.
South Africa, smarting after failing to win the first Test in a heady climax that they seemed to muff up badly — inviting countrywide derision — took to this Test with a vengeance, especially Steyn who failed with ball and bat. Like all truly great players, he raised the bar for his own performance several notches in the second.
The match can be lost, drawn or won but India’s task is cut out. I am not discounting the obvious benefits that this tour has already afforded, though the overall assessment will depend on how the second Test pans out. A proper analysis needed at least a third Test, but alas that was not to be.
The batting of Cheteshwar Pujara and Virat Kohli has been a revelation while Murali Vijay and Ajinkya Rahane have acquitted themselves creditably without being spectacular. But Shikhar Dhawan, Rohit Sharma and Dhoni himself will have to come to terms that not every pitch is a sub-continent paata where runs can come easily without adjustment in technique — apart from showing good temperament.
Overseas, runs have to be earned with skill, gumption and patience not misplaced bravado or ill-thought ultra-defensiveness. The double century partnership between Pujara and Kohli and the century partnership between Vijay and Pujara showed the virtues of balance between defence and attack, while keeping a premium on your wicket.
In the bowling too, Zaheer Khan’s return is of value — at least in the short term — while Ishant Sharma and especially Mohammed Shami have shown strike ability that could win matches. But none of these fast bowlers have shown that they can run through a side.
Yet, the failure of R. Ashwin to make any sort of impact has hurt the team most in this series certainly, and upsets calculations for future tours too. Ashwin has a terrific record, but his performances at home and overseas is like chalk and cheese. This puts the captain and the team under duress.
To come back to this Test, a defeat would push India’s reputation back quite a bit. A series defeat would stain an otherwise superb year in which Dhoni’s team has won everything, though barring the Champions Trophy all other victories came at home.
This is the psychological hurdle to overcome. Critics allege that India are tigers at home but play like pussycats overseas. Not entirely unfounded as the records reveal, but not insurmountable if tackled with commitment.
