Temba Bavuma’s South Africa will be looking to win their first Test series in India in 25 years, when the second match begins on Saturday in Guwahati.
After winning the World Test Championship in June, the visitors continued their impressive run by shocking India in a low-scoring opening Test at Kolkata’s Eden Gardens.
South Africa had not triumphed in India since winning the first game of a two-match series in 2010 and now the Proteas, who recently drew 1-1 in Pakistan, are seeking their first series victory on Indian territory since Hansie Cronje’s squad won here in 2000.
“We won a World Test Championship final earlier in the year against Australia at Lord’s, but this was right up there for us,” coach Shukri Conrad said of the Kolkata win.
“Coming to India, playing at Eden Gardens, doing something we haven’t done for 15 years, this is right up there.
“What we lack in (ability) we certainly make up in the ability to play as a unit and the resilience that we show. We never give up.”
South Africa defeated India at their own game of spin, defying the odds on a changing ground with erratic bounce at Eden Gardens under the captaincy of captain Bavuma.
After the tourists cleaned out India for 93 in their chase of 124, Bavuma’s tough 55 not out in South Africa’s second innings set the stage for an exciting victory within three days. On a surface where bowlers predominated, Bavuma’s half-century was the only fifty between the two teams.
After pacer Kagiso Rabada missed the first game due to a rib injury and is unlikely to play in the second Test, South Africa added Lungi Ngidi to their squad. With spinner Simon Harmer capturing eight wickets in the match, Rabada watched as his fellow bowlers rattled the Indian batting order.
As they attempt to salvage the two-match series, India is anxious about captain Shubman Gill’s fitness. After experiencing neck spasms after the first innings, Gill withdrew from the rest of the first Test and spent the night in the hospital.
The top-order batsman accompanied the team to Guwahati, but as per media reports, he would not play in the second game, which will be led by vice-captain Rishabh Pant.
After the hosts’ disastrous chase, analysts have harshly criticized India’s gamble to have a turning pitch at Eden Gardens.
The loss was India’s fourth at home in six Test matches, after being crushed 0-3 by New Zealand the previous year.
After taking Rahul Dravid’s place after the T20 World Cup victory last year, head coach Gautam Gambhir is under pressure. Since taking over as coach of a squad in transition, the former opener has lost 9 of 18 Test matches.
Stalwarts Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli ended their Test careers earlier this year and quit T20 cricket following the World Cup victory in Barbados. After being named Test captain, Gill led India’s 2-0 victory over the West Indies at home after drawing a difficult Test series in England 2-2.
Due to early sunsets, play in Guwahati at India’s newest Test venue will begin at 9:00 am (03:30 GMT). The session breaks will be reversed, thus tea will be served before lunch.
