South Africa came to India with a reputation of being ranked No.1 Test team in the world. Now if a team likes to call itself No. 1, then they should be able to do well in all conditions anywhere in the world. South Africa does have a good batting line up and they also have the best batsman in world cricket today, AB De villiers. Their bowling is very powerful as well, lead by the likes of Dale Steyn, Morne Morkel and young Rabada. They also have a good spin bowler who is more of an import from Pakistan, Imran Tahir, he became South African by marrying a South African national.
However their batsmen lack one very vital batting skill, playing high quality spin bowling on turning tracks. Most of the South African batsmen are used to playing in India and know the conditions well since most of them play in the IPL for different franchisees. However that has not been enough to improve their batting skills against spin bowling, probably because IPL comprises of T20 cricket which is a different cup of tea as compared to Test Match Cricket.
So in India the world no.1 Test team got turning tracks in the first 3 test matches that they played. In the first test match they failed to play the spin of R. Ashwin and and Ravindra Jadeja. Remember that Ravindra Jadeja is a batsman who bowls and not the other way round, but on a turning track they were unable to cope with the left arm spin bowling of Jadeja and batted badly in both Innings. India won the match although India's batting was not that great either.
In the second Banglore Test the entire South African team was out in the first day of the Test match. Indian's were batting well at the end of the first day. However the weather played spoilsport. It rained for the next 4 days and the match ended in a draw, with Jadeja again picking up 5 wickets.
In the third test played in Nagpur again in the first innings the Indian team was all out for 215 runs in the first innings. However the South Africans were to give their worst ever batting performance against India, the entire team was all out for a mere 79 runs, gifting India a 136 runs lead. India again did not score a lot of runs in the bowler friendly wicket and was all out for 177 runs.
The South African reply in the last innings of the 3rd Test match was much better however they had no answer to Ashwin's turn as the entire South African Team was all out for 188, thus handing over a comfortable 124 runs victory to India.
Many people criticized the pitch. However one must realize that it is Test Match Cricket and South Africa simply failed the test against playing spinners on a turning track. In South Africa, India were always given hard, bouncy, swinging wickets and India played better than what South Africa did in India in this series.
For the last 9 years South Africa had not lost any Test series overseas. India has now ended their streak.
However their batsmen lack one very vital batting skill, playing high quality spin bowling on turning tracks. Most of the South African batsmen are used to playing in India and know the conditions well since most of them play in the IPL for different franchisees. However that has not been enough to improve their batting skills against spin bowling, probably because IPL comprises of T20 cricket which is a different cup of tea as compared to Test Match Cricket.
So in India the world no.1 Test team got turning tracks in the first 3 test matches that they played. In the first test match they failed to play the spin of R. Ashwin and and Ravindra Jadeja. Remember that Ravindra Jadeja is a batsman who bowls and not the other way round, but on a turning track they were unable to cope with the left arm spin bowling of Jadeja and batted badly in both Innings. India won the match although India's batting was not that great either.
In the second Banglore Test the entire South African team was out in the first day of the Test match. Indian's were batting well at the end of the first day. However the weather played spoilsport. It rained for the next 4 days and the match ended in a draw, with Jadeja again picking up 5 wickets.
In the third test played in Nagpur again in the first innings the Indian team was all out for 215 runs in the first innings. However the South Africans were to give their worst ever batting performance against India, the entire team was all out for a mere 79 runs, gifting India a 136 runs lead. India again did not score a lot of runs in the bowler friendly wicket and was all out for 177 runs.
The South African reply in the last innings of the 3rd Test match was much better however they had no answer to Ashwin's turn as the entire South African Team was all out for 188, thus handing over a comfortable 124 runs victory to India.
Many people criticized the pitch. However one must realize that it is Test Match Cricket and South Africa simply failed the test against playing spinners on a turning track. In South Africa, India were always given hard, bouncy, swinging wickets and India played better than what South Africa did in India in this series.
For the last 9 years South Africa had not lost any Test series overseas. India has now ended their streak.
