Two years after Virat Kohli shouted angrily into a stump microphone in what proved to be his final Test as captain, India today are seeking once again to breach the “final frontier” for their Test team when they begin a two-match series at SuperSport Park.
South Africa is the only regular Test-playing nation where India have yet to win a series.
“There is a lot of pride to be able to keep that record intact,” South African captain Temba Bavuma said on Sunday. “There will be extra drive and motivation [for India], so we will need to be at our best.”
Photo: AFP
Kohli led a strong India team in 2021-2022, with high expectations after successful tours of Australia and England.
India won the first Test in Centurion, but South Africa, inspired by then-captain Dean Elgar, succeeded in two hard-fought fourth-inning chases in the remaining matches to clinch the series.
Kohli’s frustration boiled over when a television review at a crucial moment in the decisive match went in favor of Elgar.
He resigned as Test captain the day after the match.
Both Kohli and Elgar remain as key batsmen for their teams, although not as captains.
Elgar, 36, who is to retire from international cricket after the second Test in Cape Town, was axed as captain after a shakeup of the Test side earlier this year which included the appointment of Shukri Conrad as coach.
Conrad confirmed Elgar’s decision to retire was based on a conversation between the pair, but praised the opening batsman’s “resilience, dog fight, pride in performance and that ability to never back down.”
They are qualities which will be much needed against India with South Africa lacking experience and quality in their top-order batting.
India, too, have question marks over their batting, with Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane no longer in their plans.
South Africa will again be relying on pace to unsettle the India batsmen.
“India have a quality batting lineup, but we’ve got quality bowlers,” Conrad said.
Young guns Marco Jansen and Gerald Coetzee played in four-day domestic matches last week, but the more experienced Kagiso Rabada (sore heel) and Lungi Ngidi (ankle sprain) both missed the opportunity to get some red-ball cricket.
However, Conrad expected both to be fit for the Test.
“They’ll be fresh, they’ll be firing,” he said.
India are without fast bowler Mohammed Shami because of injury.
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