BACKING TO PROTEAS? STICK WITH THE BOKS

IF you’re optimistic about the Proteas’s chances of winning in India over the next few weeks, then you’re in an extremely tiny minority.

As in, there’s the players, the coaching staff ... and that’s about it, because no-one else is all that optimistic about the Proteas being able to win in India.

There’s a whole lot to be concerned about.

New coach – err sorry, Team Director – an acting/ interim Director of Cricket, a lot of new faces in the T20 team, a poor recent Test record in the subcontinent and the performances of the South African A side, which contains a lot of players who will be in the Proteas’ T20 and Test teams.

The South African A side has struggled.

They lost four out of their five one-day matches against the India A team, the only victory the result of a lot of assistance from the Duckworth/Lewis/Stern equations.

In the four day match that finishes later today, the batsmen have struggled again; Aiden Markram, who fell apart against Sri Lanka’s spinners last year, made nought and four, while Zubayr Hamza, showed some improvement after scoring 13 in the first innings to make 44 in the second.

As Mark Boucher pointed out a few weeks ago, touring India, would be difficult even at the best of times for South Africa.

All these new faces from coaching staff to playing personnel, adds to the challenge this year.

Overall, South Africa has a very reasonable record in India.

The Proteas only entered into the loss column in Test matches, following the 3-0 defeat in 2015. Until then South Africa had won five and lost five in the Test format in that country, which is a lot better than India have managed when touring here; winning three Tests and losing 10.

South Africa’s leading Test runscorers in India all had to learn how to play there.

Hashim Amla is the best – 941 runs at an average of 62.73 with four centuries.

Jacques Kallis averaged over 58.46 and scored three centuries.

Between them Kallis and Amla played 19 Tests in India.

Experience of playing in India is in very short supply in the current Test squad.

Of a likely top six batting line-up, only Dean Elgar, Faf du Plessis and Temba Bavuma have played Test cricket there and of that trio the highest individual score was Du Plessis’ 39 in the second innings of the Nagpur Test four years ago.

Experience is limited in the T20 squad too, with only Quinton de Kock and David Miller among the batsmen having experienced Indian conditions through playing in the IPL.

There is a lot of experimenting and a lot of searching taking place with Proteas on this current tour.

There’s not a lot of reasons to be optimistic at this point, especially with India in fine form.

As someone pointed out to me last week, the Proteas may be grateful to the Springboks over the next few weeks.

More eyes will be on Japan, where there is real reason for optimism.