“We still have a Test series to level and hopefully win in Cape Town.” – Dean Elgar on the prospect of doing so without Quinton de Kock.
Telford Vice | Johannesburg
IT seems South African cricket isn’t alone in its unfortunate tendency to shoot itself in both feet when it can least afford it. India, too, are in need of a pair of bulletproof boots.
Going into the second Test at the Wanderers on Monday, in the wake of India’s 113-run win in Centurion, South Africa are still reeling at the shock Test retirement of Quinton de Kock. But the visitors haven’t been able to enjoy the moment and look forward to how they might repeat that feat to claim their first series in the format in this country. Instead, they are tangled in an ever more diabolical web of hints and allegations over who said what to whom and when about Virat Kohli’s diminishing status.
What we do know is that Kohli said in September he would relinquish the T20I part of his then three-pronged captaincy. Last month he was sacked as ODI skipper, and not even the hamstring injury that has ruled Rohit Sharma — his successor — out of the series against the South Africans that starts on January 19 has granted Kohli a reprieve. Instead, KL Rahul will take charge. In a few short months, Kohli has gone from being the undisputed and apparently inviolable über boss of Indian cricket to hanging onto his job as captain in Tests — a format in which he has gone 25 innings without scoring a century.
So India’s victory in the first match of the series was a timely reminder to the BCCI about exactly who they are dealing with in Kohli. It is to be hoped that communication between the suits and the captain improves, because he deserves better than the way he is being treated currently.
De Kock’s decision, which he intimated to senior figures in the team before announcing it after India won on Thursday, came as a body blow to a side that was already out on their feet. Kyle Verreynne should make a worthy replacement, but De Kock walking away — even if it is only in one format — will be seen as another sorry episode in the ominous trend of South Africa’s best and brightest bowing out too early.
Both teams, then, will come to the Wanderers with other issues on their minds. That’s no way to approach a match at South Africa’s least forgiving ground. The often seaming pitch invariably asks searching questions of those who dare bat on it, and the small, fast outfield means bowlers who get it even slightly wrong are punished severely.
We have been reminded umpteen times that India have not lost any of their five Tests at this ground. We also know that South Africa’s won/lost ratio at the Wanderers is better than at any other home venue, bar one — Centurion, where they crashed and burned mere days ago. So, unusually, India will start as favourites.
South Africa will need to improve both their batting and their bowling significantly to stay alive in the series. India will want to keep on carrying on like they did in the first Test. The latter is far more easily done.
The visitors have proved themselves superior to their opponents in all departments, and in those opponents’ backyard no less. That advantage won’t have waned since Thursday. If anything, it will have been enhanced by the introspection both sides no doubt have done.
Monday’s match will start with over-arching feelings of closure. South Africa know they are not the team they used to be — particularly at home. India can’t avoid the approaching end of the dazzlingly successful era of captain Kohli. Whether either or both of those sentiments will be confirmed as valid when the game ends is the best reason there could be to pay close attention.
When: Monday, 10:00 Local Time
Where: The Wanderers, Johannesburg
What to expect: Nothing like the pitch India were presented with in January 2018, the last time they played a Test at this most South African of grounds — when play was suspended temporarily because the surface was deemed dangerous. The ICC rated the pitch as poor and the groundskeeper lost his job. The ground was slapped with three demerit points that will be in force until January 2023. Pertinently, another two points and the Wanderers’ international status would be suspended. But that doesn’t mean runs will come easily in what will always be among this country’s most challenging batting conditions.
Team news
South Africa: Quinton de Kock’s shock retirement will be Kyle Verreynne’s gain. Marco Jansen showed off some impressive batting smarts in Centurion, which could see him pushed up the order at the expense of Wiaan Mulder — which would make room for Duanne Olivier.
Possible XI: Dean Elgar, Aiden Markram, Keegan Petersen, Rassie van der Dussen, Temba Bavuma, Kyle Verreynne, Marco Jansen, Kagiso Rabada, Keshav Maharaj, Lungi Ngidi, Duanne Olivier
India: Why would you make changes to an XI that performed so well in conditions not dissimilar to those they will encounter in this match? If the pitch looks ridiculously green, Ishant Sharma could come in for Ravichandran Ashwin. But that’s a long shot.
Possible XI: KL Rahul, Mayank Agarwal, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli (capt), Ajinkya Rahane, Rishabh Pant, Ravichandran Ashwin, Shardul Thakur, Mohammed Shami, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj
What they said:
“There’s a responsibility for us to carry and conduct ourselves like international players. We still have to be extremely professional; we still have a Test series to level and hopefully win in Cape Town.” – Dean Elgar wants his players’ minds on the game and not on Quinton de Kock’s retirement
“I think that he’s in a really good space. I really feel there’s going to be a big run of really good scores coming in from someone like him; just observing him around the group, how relaxed he’s been, how he’s preparing and how switched on he is. I would really hope it happens in the next game. But I do feel, with someone like him, we’re going to see a really big run of scores once it clicks into place. Because he’s really led the way and I couldn’t speak more highly of him. I think he’s been a real credit to himself and to Indian cricket, in spite of all the noise that’s been there around him these last two weeks.” – Rahul Dravid on Virat Kohli’s headspace amid his bleak run of form and the BCCI controversy
- With inputs from Kaushik Rangarajan
First published by Cricbuzz.
Bulletproof Truth 