Still much for Proteas to play for in Ranchi

It takes 32 hours to drive the 1,582 kilometres across India from Pune‚ near the west coast‚ to Ranchi in the north-east.

South Africa’s Test squad have made that journey‚ happily for them by air.

But it probably felt as if they had endured every bump and pothole on the road.

Pune was where India clinched the series on Sunday with their biggest victory over South Africa – by an innings and 137 runs‚ and with a day to spare.

That followed the home side’ 203-run win in Visakhapatnam‚ where the tone was set.

In both matches India have showcased their strengths in all departments, and South Africa have struggled to perform like a reasonable facsimile of the tough‚ proud team they used to be.

And so to Ranchi‚ where all that will matter are the 40 points up for grabs in the World Test Championship (WTC) standings. Not that the WTC means anything yet.

Two years from now‚ when the final is played and the champions are crowned‚ it might be significant. But not now.

Even so‚ the WTC has kept on life support what would have been a dead rubber in Ranchi.

Whether that will stop South Africa from doing the obvious – include Zubayr Hamza and Heinrich Klaasen at the expense of Aiden Markram and Theunis de Bruyn‚ and work out the batting order from there – is keenly anticipated.

The pitches in Vizag and Pune offered no excuses for South Africa, having ventured past 200 only twice‚ especially as the Indians have yet to be dismissed and while soaring to 500 and 600.

That the South Africans are applying their minds to their batting problems was apparent in the second innings in Pune‚ when Faf du Plessis moved up one place in the order to No 4.

Temba Bavuma had been South Africa’s No 4 in his previous seven innings‚ averages 49.15 in that position – better than Du Plessis’ 41.41 in the same spot.

But Bavuma has yet to score a half-century batting at No 4, while Du Plessis has made a century and a 50 in his nine innings there.

More pertinently‚ Bavuma has scraped together 64 runs in the series.

Of the players who have appeared in both games, only Markram and Kagiso Rabada have faced fewer deliveries than Bavuma.

South Africa need him in Ranchi.