In a highly anticipated two-match Test series that starts in Kolkata on Friday, South Africa’s excellent spin attack will put India’s incredible batting depth to the test.
The ghosts of last year’s home disaster against New Zealand, in which Kiwi spinners Ajaz Patel, Mitchell Santner, and Glenn Phillips shared 36 wickets over three Test matches to create an extraordinary 0-3 whitewash, would haunt India.
That collapse against persistent spin pressure will live on in the collective memory of the home team, especially considering South Africa’s current significant dependence on tweakers.
The current World Test champions have one of the strongest spin squads in the world of cricket, despite their reputation for fiery pacers in the past. The Proteas come off a morale-boosting 1-1 draw in Pakistan, even if inspiring captain Temba Bavuma was not present.
Over the course of the series, South Africa’s spin trio of Keshav Maharaj, Simon Harmer, and Senuran Muthusamy claimed 35 of the 39 wickets taken, surpassing Pakistan’s own slow-bowling group of Noman Ali, Sajid Khan, and Salman Agha, who combined for 27 wickets.
That India’s assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate referred to the opposing bowling lineup as a “subcontinent-style attack” was understandable.
“They have got four spinners at their disposal, and most likely they will play three. It’s a little bit like playing against a subcontinent team,” he said.
“We’ve addressed that early on. Hopefully, we’ve learned from the New Zealand series.”
With 1,000 first-class wickets under his belt, 36-year-old Simon Harmer is no stranger to Indian conditions. He played two Tests in Mohali and Nagpur as a 26-year-old member of Hashim Amla’s team on the 2015 tour, taking valuable scalps including Cheteshwar Pujara, Rohit Sharma, and Wriddhiman Saha, all of whom were renowned for their ability to play spin.
Ten years later, Harmer is still cunning. After taking eight wickets in a match in Rawalpindi last month, which helped South Africa defeat Pakistan and tie the series, he is set for the Kolkata Test.
He is a perfect counterpoint to Maharaj’s left-arm spin, which is undoubtedly one of the most accurate and aggressive spinners in the current game, thanks to his control, drift, and subtle pace adjustments.
As a result, the Eden Gardens surface has emerged as the most anticipated aspect of this match. The president of the Cricket Association of Bengal, Sourav Ganguly, has promised that it “won’t be a rank-turner” despite the fact that skipper Shubman Gill and batting coach Sitanshu Kotak have seen the surface numerous times.
Jasprit Bumrah, who might be India’s best player on a surface that typically offers early movement and late reverse swing, will be pleased by that. India would like to field two pacers, and it seems that the local “boy,” Akash Deep, will have an advantage due to his familiarity with the circumstances.
Because seam and swing are crucial, particularly in the early and closing stages, pacers have taken 61% (97 of 159) of the wickets in Test matches at the Eden during the past 15 years.
Even if a youthful Indian team led by Shubman Gill in his first captaincy drew 2-2 in England this summer, demonstrating tenacity and flexibility in challenging circumstances, the New Zealand disaster at home still stings. This WTC cycle’s subsequent 2-0 victory over a feeble West Indies team did little to test India’s comeback.
The emphasis for India will be on perseverance and application in the face of spin. The middle order appears more stable now that fit-again Rishabh Pant is back and Dhruv Jurel is expected to play as a specialist batter. With 16 wickets during that New Zealand series, Washington Sundar led India’s spin statistics. He adds depth with the bat and offers drift and bounce.
Ten Doeschate emphasized the need for mental preparedness following a demanding multi-format schedule.
“You’ve got to switch on mentally and be ready for 16–17 days of really tough work. The body will take care of itself — the mind has to be ready.”
With just two Tests in the series, there’s little room for error. An early setback could be costly, particularly with the final Test in Guwahati — a venue making its Test debut — expected to pose unfamiliar challenges. For India, piling up big runs and putting South Africa under scoreboard pressure will be crucial to banishing the memories of last year’s collapse.
Teams (from):
India: Shubman Gill (Capt.), KL Rahul, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Sai Sudharsan, Rishabh Pant (WK and VC), Dhruv Jurel, Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar, Jasprit Bumrah, Akash Deep, Mohammed Siraj, Kuldeep Yadav, Axar Patel and Devdutt Padikkal
South Africa: Temba Bavuma (Capt.), Aiden Markram, Ryan Rickelton, Tristan Stubbs, Kyle Verreynne, Dewald Brevis, Zubayr Hamza, Tony de Zorzi, Corbin Bosch, Wiaan Mulder, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Senuran Muthusamy, Kagiso Rabada, Simon Harmer
