Newlands to bring out the very best of India and SA
NEWLANDS has hosted some of the most memorable moments in the South Africa v India Test rivalry down the years, making it fitting that the storied old venue provides the stage for the series decider from tomorrow.
Sachin Tendulkar and Mohammad Azharuddin’s famous partnership there in 1997; Adam Bacher’s catch to dismiss the ‘Little Master’; the gripping contest which decided the 2006/07 series, when South Africa came from 1-0 down to win.
The 2011 Test match featured Jacques Kallis’s two centuries and a Dale Steyn v Tendulkar battle for the ages, which the great Indian batter later described as “one of the best sessions of my life”.
In 2018, there was Vernon Philander’s spell to Virat Kohli that broke the back of India’s second innings to line up the first win of that series.
In the 30-year history of Tests between these two teams, Newlands has seen its defining and most majestic moments.
It’s thus appropriate that this series will be decided in the shadow of Table Mountain. Already it’s provided unforgettable highlights, and with so much still at stake for both teams, another gripping contest is on the cards.
India would have gotten over their disappointment at the Wanderers defeat pretty quickly. Their batting let them down, especially in the first innings, but
other than losing their composure on that fourth afternoon, their bowlers didn’t do too much wrong. In fact, they got more right, and just came up against the immovable object that was Dean Elgar.
If they keep delivering with the same accuracy and consistency as they did in the first two Tests, they’ll believe they will keep making in-roads into that fragile-looking South African batting order.
Among the key questions for the Indians will be the fitness of Mohammed Siraj, who only bowled 15.5 overs in the second Test because of a hamstring injury.
India coach Rahul Dravid wasn’t sure about the recovery period for that ailment, but it is usually one that merits careful consideration, which is why he will be weighing up the capabilities of Ishant Sharma and Umesh Yadav for the final Test. Ishant has more experience, along with over 300 Test wickets, and is arguably more consistent than Yadav.
The other decision regards Kohli, although that is a slightly easier one, with the India captain most likely to come in for Hanuma Vihari, who replaced him at the last minute at the Wanderers.
There’s been criticism about Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane’s form in Indian media circles, but they have too much class, and coming off the back of two good innings, to have one of them tossed out of the starting team is silly.
The Proteas will have arrived in Cape Town feeling very confident. As much as you learn out of losing.
Head coach Mark Boucher said after the Wanderers win that it was critical the players keep their feet on the ground. He would also have made them aware that there were still plenty of errors in that second Test, which they cannot afford to repeat in the series decider.
It’s unlikely that they will change the starting line-up.
Keshav Maharaj will play more of a role at Newlands, although Elgar, who made a century there for the Titans in the domestic Four-Day series nearly two months ago, said he wasn’t sure what to expect from the surface.
There’s been no domestic cricket since the last week of November and none at Newlands in seven weeks.
When India faced South Africa there four years ago, the pitch for that first Test was completely different to ones normally associated with the venue; it had seam and bounce more reminiscent of what you’d find in Gauteng.
Whatever gets dished up, Newlands is a venue where India and South Africa have shown the best of themselves down the years, and this series deserves a conclusion that lives up to what the greats have produced there previously.