Chance for Proteas to make amends
The batsmen of either side will also be watching this wicket closely as it has been a while since there has been a hundred scored in a Test series from either side.
The surfaces used in the current India-South Africa series have created a lot of interest around the cricketing world. There have been tweets and repeated tweets on this but one must not forget that this is what you get in India.
The series moves on to the final stage in New Delhi and it will be interesting to see what sort of a surface awaits the South Africans in the last Test. I am convinced it will turn but I presume it will be less than Mohali and Nagpur but only marginally so. The two reasons for this are, firstly, it is winter in Delhi and it will be cold, and secondly, the dew factor: the moisture in the air will keep the wicket together.
Although the series has been decided there will be an opportunity for South Africa to redeem themselves and finish the tour well. It is no secret that they have been outplayed by the Indians and need a huge uplift of their performance in the last Test match. As for the Indians, they will be ruthless. It’s a massive opportunity for Virat and his boys to make it 3-0 and if full play is possible, in spite of fog and weather conditions in the north, the South Africans will have to deal with a side very high on confidence.
Watching wicket closely
The batsmen of either side will also be watching this wicket closely as it has been a while since there has been a hundred scored in a Test series from either side.
Also someone like Ajinkya Rahane must be wondering why it is that he doesn’t score runs on these pitches, especially when he has played well all around the world? The fact that he plays well abroad is testimony to his terrific qualities as a batsman.
We all know that it is a matter of time for a century to be scored but I am sure that among all the batsman Rahane will be having a very close look at the surface hoping that his fortunes in Indian conditions will soon change.
Both the teams won’t have much to tinker around with where their playing eleven is concerned.
This is the fourth Test of series, and time has allowed both teams to have a settled look. I know that South Africa kept a very close watch on Dale Steyn but he has missed out. Even if he had recovered, it would have been too late for the express bowler to make much of a difference to the series.