NEW DELHI: Ravi Shastri, coach of the Indian cricket team, has backed the squad’s fast bowlers to succeed in South Africa during the Tests starting in the new year, while putting an emphasis on the batting of both sides as the potentially decisive factor of the series.
India are ranked No 1 in the ICC Test Championship after a heavy home season, and the tour of Sri Lanka this year, but have never won a series in South Africa. Speaking to a news channel, Shastri highlighted what he felt would be the reasons for India to head to South Africa confident of changing their overall numbers there.
“I think the next 18 months will define this Indian cricket team – the tours of South Africa, England and Australia,” said the 55-year-old, who played 80 Tests and 150 ODIs and led India in one Test. “India have never won a series in South Africa. They have never won in Australia. This team has the opportunity and I believe have got the goods to compete really well in these two countries because you have got bench strength in your bowling attack, in your pace bowling attack, you have got an allrounder in the house in Hardik [Pandya] and what you need overseas is 20 wickets. You can get any number of runs but if you don’t take 20 wickets, you can’t win. This team has that, so I think the boys know it and they are fully aware of what they are capable of. If they play to potential, they will pull it off.”
However, while wholly endorsing India’s pace attack to deliver in South Africa, Shastri spoke of the upcoming series as potentially being decided by the batting. “I think it will be about Indian batting v South African batting,” he said. “Both sides have very good bowling attacks. I think our bowlers will do a pretty good job, [but] it will boil down to how our batsmen fare. If our batsmen stand up and put the runs on the board you could have a very competitive and entertaining series.”
India have three openers in the Test squad, of which the youngest, Karnataka batsman KL Rahul, looks set to miss out with Shastri backing Shikhar Dhawan and Murali Vijay to open the innings when the series begins at Cape Town on January 5.
“You look at experience, you look at variety so that is what Shikhar brings in – a left hand, right hand combination so he is a must. He has got lots of runs. Vijay is the most experienced and has a very good record overseas and he brings solidity,” he said. “Young Rahul is immensely talented and he will get his opportunity at some stage. He might have to wait for a while but he will get his opportunity. I think he was the most improved player in the last 18 months. It’s just unfortunate that he didn’t convert those 60s into 150s, but he will learn.”
The one concern the Indian team would have is the form of middle-order batsman Ajinkya Rahane, who in the recent three-Test series against Sri Lanka managed a paltry 17 runs in five innings. Shastri, who has seen Rahane’s development as a world-class batsman from close range, did not feel there was much tinkering to be done to his game.
“At this level, I don’t believe there is coaching involved. It’s fine tuning. Little things that you might pick up and you go and tell Ajinkya to work on that which we have already discussed and which he is already doing. It’s not that he is shattered mentally or things like that. It’s just about spending some time at the crease, get that feet moving the way it should be and you will be on your way,” he said.
“There is a little bit of fine-tuning as far as technique goes, how he has to actually use that foot work. I am talking about going towards the ball. Little things we have discussed and he knows. The reason I say it is because when you are playing so much cricket there could be little things that creep into the system without you realising and which could be detrimental to your performance as a batsman or as a bowler. This is where you have got to be observant and nip those errors in the bud.”
With conditions in South Africa expected, as always, to aid the fast bowlers, India will once again face the dilemma of playing one spinner or two. During the last tour there in 2013, R Ashwin played one Test and Ravindra Jadeja the other, both with minimal results. Asked whether the two will be separated again, Shastri said: “It’s very, very difficult. Two outstanding bowlers – No 1 and 2 in the world. They bring you variety. Once we go there we will see the conditions. We might still play two spinners and three fast bowlers. That’s what Hardik gives you. He gives you that kind of balance that is much needed. [We] might still go in with five which could include two spinners unless it’s a real green top, which is very likely then you go with a four and one combination. It will be tough one to choose between the two. That Virat can decide.”
India play three Tests in South Africa – at Newlands, Centurion and The Wanderers – followed by six ODIs and three Twenty20 internationals.
