New Delhi: South Africa will look to bank on the large number of cricketers they field in the Indian Premier League and their experience of conditions across India to handle the pressure of an extended tour, that kicks off with the first of three T20 internationals in Dharamshala later this week.
“I think we are fortunate that a lot of our players have played in the Indian conditions before,” South Africa coach Russell Domingo said here on Monday shortly after the Proteas landed in the capital.
“A lot of the guys who have played the IPL, are familiar with conditions here. “I suppose we do understand what is required to do well in these conditions because of the vast number of experienced players we have in our squad,” he added, on the eve of their only practice game — against a Board President’s XI — here on Tuesday.
“We know India are going to be tough under their conditions. They have got some new young players and they are very good. They have match-winners in their side and we know that they are going to be a tough challenge,” Domingo pointed out.
“They have a new leadership, new coaches, new captains appointed, they toured South Africa and they were very tough for us to beat in that series. They played a very competitive a series in Australia so they obviously have put focus on working well away from home.
“A lot has been spoken about their performances away from home and I am sure that is something that they will try and improve. But they have some world class players and some individuals within their team, senior players and team management.”
Domingo said the Proteas would rely on their fast bowlers to tackle India even though they have travelled here with three full-time spinners in Imran Tahir, Dane Piedt and Simon Harmer.
“Indians are very good players of spin, we know that. Our fast bowlers have always been successful whenever we have toured India. Although spin is going to be a very big factor in this series, it’s important that our seamers start going for us.
“We have got very good spinners in Imran and two young spinners in Dane and Simon. It will be a great experience for them to play against these players under these conditions in a high pressure environment.
“But like I said, the seamers have done the business for us around the world and I expect them to play a big part under these conditions as well,” Domingo further added.
Domingo praised the new-found aggression of Virat Kohli’s Test team and said that both sides had enough fiery characters to keep the series alive.
“I think both sides play pretty aggressively. I think in the leadership of Virat Kohli to play that brand of cricket we saw lot of that in Sri Lanka and we saw that in the World Cup. Their body language and the way they bowled was of aggressive nature. Full credit to them, they have definitely taken their game forward.
“If both sides play in the limits of the game it will be tough, hard uncompromising cricket we expect from India and they can expect same from us. So I think we are both pretty laid back teams but we both have some fiery characters,” he said.
