***Official*** India in South Africa 2017/18

[Black_Warrior]

SA tend to start off Test series slow as well.... but hopefully the Zim test gives a nice warm-up.

Yeah that's exactly what I was thinking. Zimbabwe game is what would have originally been the 1st test of this series so that should work in South Africa's favour. No doubt they would be preparing for the series in a few days time and the Zimbabwe game will be their ideal 'first slow game'

I think Kohli should in all honesty stay out of all these meaningless bilateral ODIs. They had LO seris with NZ,AUS and Kohli played in all of them. Plus IPL it is just too much a workload.
If I was Kohli I would just stepdown my self for a period where India play a number of ODIs, and concentrate on a quality county season to improve the batting.

Kohli ffs should play all tests, and reduce the no.of LOs played.If possible take a break from that meaningless IPL craap

ODI cricket is of paramount importance in the Subcontinent. There is no way Kohli is sitting out bilateral series against Australia or New Zealand. A loss in such a series would have the media out with their knives against him for 'resting' while the team loses. Subcontinent media takes bilateral losses very seriously. If you win it's expected, but a loss to a major team like Australia or South Africa or England is not acceptable.

 

[Black_Warrior]

South Africa generally produce pretty good pitches with just an extra bit of pace and bounce and if the visiting team can handle that, they should do well. India batted quite well in 2013 actually with Pujara, Kohli and Rahane doing quite well and that series also took place in similar circumstances thanks to BCCI again who threatened to pull out so I don't think India got much preparation time in that series either.

That being said, South Africa were unhappy about the pitches in the 2015 away series in India and I believe the team hasexpressed displeasure at how South African pitches often favour the opposition more than the help South Africa gets when they play away. Not sure.

I hope South Africa don't produce a lively green top because they are just as likely to fall apart against Bhuvi and Shami, two very good seam and swing bowlers.

Sure they have a solid attack of their own but what happens with pitches like this is that even in a low scoring game, if one side has a far worse collapse than the other, you are out of the game in one session. This is what happened to India in the 1st test against Australia this year. They bowled well, but then got ripped apart by O Keefe and the match was out of their hands.

South Africa should go for their traditional pace and bounce pitches. Steyn will still swing it. Rabada has the pace and bounce. And then trust your batting to handle Yadav, Shami and Bhuvi.

 

[vcs]

Yeah, if they prepare decent pitches where you have to hit the pitch hard to get some bounce and seam movement, we will struggle.

 

[StephenZA]

That being said, South Africa were unhappy about the pitches in the 2015 away series in India and I believe the team hasexpressed displeasure at how South African pitches often favour the opposition more than the help South Africa gets when they play away. Not sure.

That is true, but more has to do with the venues... we should never play India in Durban or Port Elizabeth. Which we are not this series, SA as true variation across our pitches, which is what makes us generally better at handling overseas conditions.

I don't see lively green tops any more than normal. I'm a little worries the pitches may be a bit dry because of the weather we have been having this year. And for the first time in a long time I have confidence in our opening pair (Markram/Elgar).... something we have been lacking forever, or so it seems.

 

[Bahseph]

Yeah it was smart to keep PE and Durban out of the test match venues to be fair. I think the main agenda will be to neautralize Ashwin/Jadeja. I'm sure the SA batters are way more comfortable facing them in non 2015 India tour conditions.

 

[SeamUp]

Got to love Faf for demanding home conditions suit us more again. Since Smith our leadership sort of just got by with Amla/AB

 

[OverratedSanity]

I hope they go overboard with the home condition 'advantage' and give Bhuvi a full on greentop to bowl on.

 

[Dendarii]

Since Smith our leadership sort of just got by with Amla/AB

Agreed. The two of them are nice guys, but I think that limits their effectiveness as captain. Du Plessis on the other hand appears to have that harder edge which you sometimes need as a captain, which Smith certainly had.

 

[Bahseph]

I hope they go overboard with the home condition 'advantage' and give Bhuvi a full on greentop to bowl on.

I can't remember the last time we had one of those to be honest. Maybe the Durban Test vs NZ. But I think that was more the weather than ghetto pitch. My fellow SA posters will be able to verify this.

 

[StephenZA]

Such a tight schedule as well... whoever gets on top in CT, it will be difficult for opposition to recover in the short turnaround between 1st and 2nd test.

 

[Daemon]

That is true, but more has to do with the venues... we should never play India in Durban or Port Elizabeth. Which we are not this series, SA as true variation across our pitches, which is what makes us generally better at handling overseas conditions.

I don't see lively green tops any more than normal. I'm a little worries the pitches may be a bit dry because of the weather we have been having this year. And for the first time in a long time I have confidence in our opening pair (Markram/Elgar).... something we have been lacking forever, or so it seems.

Everything seems to be falling back into place for SA.

England really got lucky imo. AB missing, Philander's injury, Hashim being a bit out of nick, no opener besides Elgar, Rabada getting banned, Steyn injured.

Very happy to see a full strength SA though, will make for a great challenge, and even if we get destroyed, it'll be against some very likable opposition.

 

[Shri]

Kohli's getting married. Will be on honeymoon. No training or match practice before he reaches SA.

Will eat butter chicken for the first time after 4 years before the first test and will ton up.

 

[Heboric]

The problem with green tops (of which SA has rarely seen this past decade) is that even dibbly dobblers from part timers can get batsmen out...I don't think any cricket lover wants to see this,I rather see fair pitches that give both the batsmen and the bowler a chance,let's say 50/50 and even 60/40 either way. I want to see both teams work for wickets and runs.

On the flipside those spinning wickets. I remember Elgar looking pretty sharp when he bowled on those Indian wickets...

 

[Spark]

Greentops would be a terrible idea from a cricketing pov for SA too, that would bring India's pacers right into the game and level out SA's key advantage.

 

[weldone]

What SA needs is a slight tinge of green. If the pitches are extremely flat (like the current test at WACA) then Indian batsmen won't be unhappy at all.

 

[Stefan9]

We should just going with quick pitches with good bounce. Too green brings the average seamer into it and becomes a lottery.

 

[srbhkshk]

We should just going with quick pitches with good bounce. Too green brings the average seamer into it and becomes a lottery.

Although I will totally agree that Indian seam attack has nothing on SA, I will say that they are not just average bowlers, they are all good and capable of being pretty good on their day.

 

[Stefan9]

Although I will totally agree that Indian seam attack has nothing on SA, I will say that they are not just average bowlers, they are all good and capable of being pretty good on their day.

For me anyone that averages 30 and above is merely average and none of the indian seamers bar hardik ( who has only played 3 tests) averages below 30.

 

[CricAddict]

For me anyone that averages 30 and above is merely average and none of the indian seamers bar hardik ( who has only played 3 tests) averages below 30.

Context matters more than average. You can't have an average in low 20s as a seam bowler in India due to the pitches. There is a reason why spinners from the subcontinent have all taken a truckload of wickets while pacers outside have done the same on their pitches, Warne being an exception.

 

[Motorwada]

For me anyone that averages 30 and above is merely average and none of the indian seamers bar hardik ( who has only played 3 tests) averages below 30.

bhuvi begs to differ. also shami is just at 30.