India have all bases covered for tour of South Africa: Nic Pothas

MUMBAI: South Africa-born Sri Lanka head coach Nic Pothas has predicted a close contest when India face the Proteas in the upcoming Test tour beginning in January, provided the Virat Kohli-led batting line-up measures up to the home side’s lethal new ball attack.

The 44-year-old said that the Indian team under Kohli seemed to have covered all their bases.

“They (India) have got all their bases covered. If you provide them with a green wicket they have got bowling attack to knock over other batting lineups. If it’s a flat wicket, they have got those bases covered. If a wicket spins they have got their bases covered,” said Pothas.

“If the Indian batting line-up can get runs against South Africa, then South Africa is going to find India very tough,” said Pothas.

Talking about the India’s potential in the limited over format, Pothas said the team has plenty of depth to fall back upon while praising former captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni as the best finisher in shorter formats.

“In one-day cricket they (India) have got a lot of depth, even in the 3rd T20I, they made a few changes (and) it did not hurt them. I like the fact that MS has closed games for a long time now. He is the best in the world in doing that,” said Pothas.

He also expected the Indian wrist spinners Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal to pose challenges to the South African batsmen, similar to what they did to the Lankans, while pointing out that the Proteas too have someone of the calibre of Imran Tahir to pay back in the same coin.