India vs South Africa

In South Africa, India has been thoroughly walloped, with precisely one win in 12 Tests

India began to play South Africa after the country’s reintroduction into world cricket in 1991. Of 88 international games of all kinds featuring the two sides, India have won only 31. But that really doesn’t mean much, does it? You had South African skipper Kepler Wessels rapping Kapil Dev on the shin, the first run out by the third umpire, and Mohammad Azharuddin ripping into South Africa’s bowling attack like someone had paid him to win.

India maintained an enviable 100 per cent record for the first two games between the two sides (at the end of 1991), but won only 14 of the next 54 games played over the next decade. South Africa have come at India harder than Australia. India’s last two series at home had been saved by winning the last game. In 2008 and 2010, India entered the last Test one game down (and a heavy defeat at that), and managed to emerge smelling of roses.

In South Africa, India has been thoroughly walloped, with precisely one win in 12  Tests. Batsmen have consistently struggled with fast, short-pitched bowling. After drawing their first two Tests in South Africa (moral victories), India lost four of the next six by large margins. For the opening game of their 1996 series, India’s batting lineup included Sachin Tendulkar, Azharuddin, Sourav Ganguly, and Rahul Dravid, making it their most formidable combination yet. In they went with a great combination of attack and defence, and proceeded to get out for a hundred runs.

Since then, whenever an Indian representative (usually the captain or coach) says short-pitched bowling won’t be a problem, fans think of Durban. But there are also good things to remember. For one, Venkatesh Prasad. Another is the inexplicable collapse engineered by a disco dancing fast bowler. The moral of the story: anything could happen.

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