SOMSHUVRA LAHA
CAPETOWN: Legendary South Africa fast bowler Allan Donald, one of the finest ever, has now been mentor to pacers in five different national teams as well as several counties and franchises. Imbibing different cultures as a travelling coach, Donald’s life is still very much about fast bowling. He spoke about the recently concluded Newlands Test, Dale Steyn’s injury and why he thinks Virat Kohli has ushered in a fitness revolution in the India team.
Excerpts I consider Shikhar Dhawan to be a really aggressive player. If they make that change, South Africa will believe ‘right, that’s good for us’.
When I saw them take eight wickets in that morning session, I thought India were in with a massive chance. Yes, possibly, that was their biggest chance to win.
the follow-up deliveries bowled to him have been spot on. Technically, South Africa have really exposed Rohit but again he is a world-class player. In my opinion, it would be foolish now to make changes. That’s the selectors’ decision again. But again, South Africans see Rahane sitting on the bench and carrying drinks and they would say ‘wow’. They would rather have that, you know. He’s an absolutely world-class player. There’s no doubt that the IPL has helped Indian cricket and brought through so many young cricketers. I’m not surprised where they are now. I have to say Virat Kohli has now brought a huge fitness culture in the team which I haven’t seen for a very long time. He’s brought an aggressive streak. He’s brought fitness and a really tough regime you have to live with. And that you can only do when you have a captain like Kohli who leads from the front.
We and Hansie did that for many years. And, trust me, we were the fittest team in the world because he kept that bar so high for us that we knew that if we have to win home and away we have to be fitter at the end of the season than what we were at the start.
That’s exactly what Virat is doing. And, Ravi Shastri as well. I haven’t heard an Indian coach say ‘we have to win away from home’. They want to be defined as a team that can win Obviously, I’m gutted for him that he is injured again. Pretty horrendous injury, really. He was so close to a massive milestone in his career, being pretty much the senior wickettaker in South Africa’s bowling history.
I have seen him before, I have seen him in training. He’s been in extremely good form, he’s worked really hard. Four to six weeks is a long time and he’s got to start again. South Africa will miss him but they have some really good backup in Chris Morris and others. Definitely. You could clearly see that. Vernon’s the man bowling stump-to-stump all day. If there’s anything in the wicket, he will expose it. It’s clear to me they have told Kagiso Rabada your role is to bowl fast, be aggressive. And the same with Morne Morkel, you know. What Chris Morris brings to the table is that again he is 145 km/hr. So, yeah, there is a lot of clarity in what they have to do and that showed in this Test match for sure. I think it’s an amazing bowling lineup. They have passion, control, they are very aggressive and that was a spirited bowling performance. That positivity can be taken to the next Test match. Yes, they are My experience against India is to expose their technique. In home conditions, most Indians are very good back-foot players and also very good players with a great hand. In India, they get away with that because the ball doesn’t move much. I think in South Africa, technique always gets exposed. I think South Africa is going to test India in technique and extra pace.
That’s the one thing South Africa have over what India have. And that is why Sachin Tendulkar was such a wonderful player here, and also Mohammed Azharuddin because they played the ball so late. They left the ball really well. Once they got themselves in, they made hay. It was attractive to watch them and it was hard to get them out.
Sachin was so wonderful because he adjusted his technique so brilliantly wherever he went.
That’s what separated him from the others. That’s what India have to be smart about. They have to leave balls very well for a long period.