We have a score to settle: Du Plessis
CAPETOWN: South Africa captain Faf du Plessis faces a selection headache but made it clear the Proteas have a score to settle after the humiliating 3-0 defeat in India in 2015. With pacer Dale Steyn deemed fit, du Plessis needs to make a conscious selection call going into the first Test.
“This selection is probably one of the hardest that we are going to have to make. There are just so many combinations you can look at. It’s a nice headache to have. It’s a possibility, especially up on the Highveld (to play four seamers), but we’re still talking about what could be our strongest XI,” said du Plessis at Thursday’s prematch press conference.
“It’s a tough call. For me, he (Steyn) is the best bowler in the world. He hasn’t played for a while and hasn’t got the overs under his legs that he would have wanted. But facing Dale in the nets, the skill feels like it hasn’t gone anywhere. He has the same pace and swing. Skill-wise it’s like he has just jumped back on that bicycle and is riding again.”
India batting coach Sanjay Bangar, who attended the press conference instead of Virat Kohli, too said they hadn’t decided on the final XI. “As of now the conditions we found, we expect the ball to seam around a bit on Day One. On Days Two and Three, they are going to be very good batting conditions. We will take into consideration the extent of moisture tomorrow (Friday) on the surface and we will take it from there,” said Bangar, asked whether India would go with Rohit Sharma or five specialist bowlers.
This maybe the last time the core of Hashim Amla, de Villiers and du Plessis plays together against India in a Test series and the South Africa captain wants to make it count. “I don’t know when the next Test series against India is, but it’s probably the last time all of us play against India and there’s no better way than playing a series in South Africa. We were disappointed the last time we went there and we’ve got a score to settle, so we’re excited for this series,” he said.
Du Plessis was wary about not allowing India’s seamers get more advantage from the pitch than the home bowlers. “You don’t want excessive seam movement because that brings both bowling attacks into the game. With our seam resources, on a wicket that has some pace and bounce, we can exploit some of those areas in their batting line.”
I see South Africa against India, I don’t see a rivalry between us. We don’t look at Virat. He doesn’t get more time than any of the other batters.
FAF DU PLESSIS, On the so-called rivalry with Virat Kohli
December 15-18, 2006
South Africa began well by bowling out India for 249 with Sourav Ganguly, making a comeback, top-scoring with an unbeaten 51. The hosts hoped to bat the tourists out but ran into S Sreesanth. He swung the ball to bowl hosts for 84. Though South Africa fared better in the second innings, it didn’t stop India from winning their first Test in South Africa. November 20-23, 1996
Best remembered for a hostile spell of fast bowling by Javagal Srinath. When South Africa were set a target of 170 on the fourth day, the result seemed predictable. However, Srinath produced one of the best spells of fast bowling to rip through the visitors’ batting.
South Africa could only manage 105 as India won the first Test of the three-match series by 64 runs. December 26-29, 2010
Batting first, India managed 205 with Dale Steyn claiming a six-for. Another series defeat loomed large but Zaheer Khan and Harbhajan Singh bowled out hosts for 131. India were 93/5 in the second innings before VVS Laxman’s 96 took the team past 200. Chasing 302, SA ran into Sreesanth and got only 215. February 24-26, 2000
Batting first, India were out for 225 with Sachin Tendulkar scoring 97. He then claimed three wickets as South Africa were restricted to 176. India lost out in the second innings as they were out for 113 with Shaun Pollock wreaking havoc. A target of 163 was tough on a turning pitch. South Africa were reduced to 128-6, but Mark Boucher and Jacques Kallis took them home. December 18-22, 2013
The sides evenly matched in the first innings, Cheteshwar Pujara’s ton and Virat Kohli’s 96 helped post 421. Facing a target of 458, Faf du Plessis and AB de Villiers sent the bowlers on a leather hunt. They needed 16 off 19 balls with four wickets to spare, but the loss of Du Plessis pegged them back and match ended in a draw.