Tough series for Proteas
INDIA are firm favourites to win the upcoming three-match Test series against South Africa, which starts today in Visakhapatnam, with the Proteas in a period of transition after the retirement of the likes of Dale Steyn, Hashim Amla and AB de Villiers over the past couple of years.
If India win, this will be their 11th consecutive Test series win at home, the most by any side.
They are currently tied at 10 for the most series win at home along with the Australian teams that Steve Waugh and Mark Taylor led between November 1994 and November 2000 and the Australian team led by Ricky Ponting between July 2004 and November 2008.
The last time India lost a Test series at home was against England during the latter’s tour of the country during the 2012-13 season.
Their winning streak started with the subsequent rubber against West Indies, which was also Sachin Tendulkar’s last series. The Proteas face a daunting challenging.
One of the biggest challenges which Proteas coach Enoch Nkwe faces is finding a replacement for former long-serving Amla.
Amla made the number three test batting spot his own for more than a decade, and even though he struggled for consistency during the final three years of his career, nobody can argue that he was probably one of the greatest number three batsmen in Test Cricket during the modern generation.
One player who has been tipped to be a possible replacement for Amla is Cape Cobras’ Zubayr Hamza.
The 24-year-old certainly has shown signs at domestic level that he is a future star in the making.
After 56 first-class games, he averages 50.01, which is phenomenal and certainly warrants his being given international opportunities.
Hamza made his international Test debut against Pakistan earlier this year.
He showed some glimpses of quality during a first innings knock of 41 which featured five boundaries and one six as the South Africans recorded a victory.
The youngster also recently got time out in the middle and experienced Indian conditions whilst playing for the South Africa A and South Africans Invitational sides. He may have not managed to record massive runs, but innings of 13, 44 and 22 can certainly pave the way for bigger things to come.
The experience would have also helped him learn about and get used to Indian conditions, which are not the easiest to negotiate.
Star Pakistan batsman Babar Azam on Monday went past India captain Virat Kohli to become the third-fastest to 11 ODI hundreds after slamming 115 in the second ODI against Sri Lanka in Karachi.
Azam reached his 11th ODI hundred in his 71st innings while Kohli took 82 innings to get there.
Batting first, Pakistan capitalised on Azam’s 115 off 105 deliveries (4x8, 6x4) to post 305/7 in the allotted 50 overs.
The first ODI was washed out without a ball being bowled at the same venue on Friday.
Amla is the quickest to 11 ODI tons, racing there in 64 innings. Quinton de Kock, is second in the list, taking 65 innings to reach the milestone.