South Africa to play four Tests in India later this year

[cnerd123]

I'm disagreeing with whoever says they are weak against it. Because they aren't weak. Swing isn't a weakness. Not weak.

Mediocre okay.

Not weak.

Don't say weak.

BTW your examples match what I've said. Kohli is weak, Dhawan is patchy. You still have 5 others batsmen who are decent in the top 7 (Or 4 if you don't want to count Saha yet). To me this means that, as a unit, they play swing well. But fair enough if you think they can't.

I don't get this 'can't play swing' vibe from Rohit because he usually nicks off after struggling to score for a few overs. I don't think that's because he can't survive swing, that's just because he can't survive decent bowling of any shape or form. He's chipped spinners to midwicket/mid-on, pulled short balls to the deep...he's just looking for a release shot.

I just can't see what point you're trying to make here when you say no batsman can be good against swing. Can't wrap my head around it. Saying that swing can't be dominated hence no one is 'good' against it is lol.

IDK how you are defining 'good' to begin with.

Is it just surviving it? If so, pretty much everyone except Kohli has shown the ability to do that. That makes this lineup 'good' against swing. You can argue that they haven't performed consistently enough to be called 'good' yet, and if so, fair enough.

But if you define 'good' as scoring heavily against a moving ball, then I say that's unfair because no one does that.

 

[Daemon]

91.2 119.8 kph, got him, Smith's taken a beauty! Watson's struck with a good ball, but Rohit will wonder if he needed to play that shot. It was the wide outswinger, not quite up there for the drive. Rohit drove on the up, it curled away and took his outside edge, and Smith took a super catch diving low to his right at second slip 328/6

28.5 145.4 kph, and that's another. That was a back of a length ball outside off, a tiny bit of movement away to exaggerate the angle and extra bounce as well. Rohit wafts at it away from his body and edges it through to Haddin. Again they check for no-ball and again the heel is right on the edge. 86/4

43.3 137.5 kph, fuller length, felt for, and a little edge behind! The batsman stands his ground but everyone else was convinced and Anderson strikes immediately. Poor stroke really, feeling a long way outside off with just a defensive stroke, that could so easily have been left. There was a hint of shape away from the bat and it was a very faint edge, as confirmed by Real Time Snicko 112/5

45.1 maiden Test wicket for Neesham as Rohit plays on! A very full delivery outside off and Rohit was sinking to his knees as he looked to pierce the cover field, but he plays outside the line of it and gets an inside edge onto the stumps. Angled bat does him in. Very soft dismissal. 165/5

45.1 another poor shot, another overnight batsman gone. India folding like a piece of paper. Not driving length at all, pitches around off, angling away. Rohit plays the push-drive, with hard hands, gets an inside edge. Onto the stumps 138/6

81.1 and here is Rohit Sharma gone first ball. New Zealand have sensed the moment and seized it by the scruff of its neck. Lovely outswinger first ball after tea. No looseners from Southee. Just short of driving length, Sharma caught neither back nor forward, and the swing does the rest. This is unravelling fast 270/6

Not sure how this fits in the debate but Rohit is the king of the airy drive

 

[cnerd123]

Yea Rohit suck. Shouldn't be in the Test team to begin with. Plays loose shots all the time. I'd much rather Rahul comes in at 6.

 

[OverratedSanity]

Not weak

Mediocre okay.

Not weak.

Don't say weak.

Did you just turn into Dawood there for a second? I miss him too, but sheesh.

 

[eroticfishcake]

South Africa is to tour India.Why is there talk of swing?Sit back and enjoy result some result oriented good wickets after patta overdose Down Under

 

[Dan]

I doubt it. Tahir has had his chance in Tests, and blown it. Great ODI spinner but can hardly make it land on the square in test matches.

I like the team suggested by Dan, but only problem is there are only three players of colour in that side, not sure it'll fly politically, unfortunately.

But we've got a series against Bangladesh coming up before that, which will give us a clue to what the selectors are thinking.

Stephen Cook may be a left-field selection to open the batting, and I think Kagiso Rabada and Temba Bavuma will both go on tour.

Yeah it depends on how big their squad is, really. I think the core of 14 basically picks itself, while Morris + Rabada + Bavuma are fighting it out for however many places on top of that South Africa feel like taking. Obviously, a group of 16 or 17 that includes both Rabada and Bavuma is far more politically palatable, even if they're only injury cover.

I wouldn't mind seeing Theunis de Bruyn over there, but South Africa don't generally do left-field selections; everything is procedural and has been very successful -- their ability to blood players in spite of having a very fixed team has been admirable. Very strong development structure.

I thought it was all but certain that van Zyl would be opening in this series?

 

[Marius]

Yeah it depends on how big their squad is, really. I think the core of 14 basically picks itself, while Morris + Rabada + Bavuma are fighting it out for however many places on top of that South Africa feel like taking. Obviously, a group of 16 or 17 that includes both Rabada and Bavuma is far more politically palatable, even if they're only injury cover.

I wouldn't mind seeing Theunis de Bruyn over there, but South Africa don't generally do left-field selections; everything is procedural and has been very successful -- their ability to blood players in spite of having a very fixed team has been admirable. Very strong development structure.

I thought it was all but certain that van Zyl would be opening in this series?

I'm not sure the selectors feel Van Zyl is ready to open at Test level yet. Cook had a fantastic summer last season, topped the runscoring charts and if he opens, will keep the left-hand/right-hand combo with Elgar. And remember, we still have a series against Bangladesh first, so that may give the selectors some room to experiment.

Re: spinners, Harmer didn't have the greatest FC summer, but he is the man in possession, and Piedt's been in terrible form since coming back from injury.

You're right about the SA selectors. Last time they had a really left-field selection was probably Friedel de Wet against England the last time they were here.

 

[Dan]

Honestly if they don't have van Zyl opening, it wouldn't surprise me to see Rossouw asked to do it.

 

[Marius]

Honestly if they don't have van Zyl opening, it wouldn't surprise me to see Rossouw asked to do it.

I think my punting Cook may be wishful thinking - plays for the domestic side I support, and could have some of the Test career that his dad never could, due to isolation.

 

[Dan]

Yeah he always seems to be making runs, and probably would do a very good job at opening the batting for South Africa. I definitely don't disagree with you there.

I don't think he's the type of player South Africa is looking for though. An even-more prolific Andrew Puttick, I guess.

 

[Furball]

Yeah he always seems to be making runs, and probably would do a very good job at opening the batting for South Africa. I definitely don't disagree with you there.

I don't think he's the type of player South Africa is looking for though. An even-more prolific Andrew Puttick, I guess.

White?

 

[Dan]

White?

No, the hardworking, solid, medium-term journeyman. Cook would do a job, but he doesn't gel with the type of players South Africa have been elevating in recent years.

They're going for the prodigiously talented, highest-ceiling options and trying to develop them into a World-Class unit; its why Rilee Rossouw got so much rope in the ODI team, why there's minimal screwing around with the bowling line-up, and why they were so intent on getting de Kock in and, IMO, pushing Petersen out (This is entirely speculative, but I can imagine Petersen getting a tap on the shoulder after the last series and having it suggested to him that the Kolpak deal should be looking mighty attractive right about now).

I mean, Ashwell Prince was a solid Test performer. Then JP Duminy came along and showed he could be something special, so Prince got punted. He's flattered to deceive since, sure, but he's kept around because he's a multi-talented, multi-format player who is capable of brilliance on his day. And IMO, that's what makes South Africa so damn good at the moment -- brilliant talent identification structures, strong developmental pathways, and consistency of selection.

 

[longranger]

Yea Rohit suck. Shouldn't be in the Test team to begin with. Plays loose shots all the time. I'd much rather Rahul comes in at 6.

I don't think Rahul is quite there yet. Test call-ups shouldn't just be granted out so easily. And in any case, KL Rahul is being readied as a future opener - I don't think we should be sending him at #6.

Rohit, as infuriating as he is, can play as the world's best batsman on his day. The new coach should work hard with him. He still has a Test future IMO.

 

[harsh.ag]

Kohli loves Rohit too, he's isn't going anywhere soon.

 

[Daemon]

Why should Dhawan get his position back when his replacement just hit a hundred in his last game?

 

[harsh.ag]

Because of his moustache seems the wrong answer...

On a serious note, I am all for Rahul ahead of Dhawan. Think he will dominate in the sub-continent.

 

[Dan]

You know what, pick 'em both.

**** that Vijay guy, eh

 

[cnerd123]

Drop Rohit, let one of Dhawan/Rahul bat at 6. We'll need someone decent down there to see off the second new ball anyways.

 

[honestbharani]

Why are we assuming India will play with 6 batsmen?

 

[OverratedSanity]

We never play with 6. Dhawan and Rohit barely count.