It’s been one heck of a year for Indian cricket, starting with two amazing victories to clinch a memorable series win over Australia and finishing with a hard-fought victory over South Africa this week. In between these two events was a roller-coaster ride, replete with highs, lows, controversies, upheavals.
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Looking at the balance sheet, India have done superbly in Tests, beating Australia, England (at home), leading 2-1 against the same rival in the unfinished series, and winning the first Test against South Africa before the sun sets on 2021. The big disappointment was losing the WTC final to New Zealand, which frankly still rankles.
The Centurion win, however, is an important milestone in Indian cricket. Overseas teams have generally struggled at this ground, considered as South Africa’s bastion. Much like India had done at Brisbane at the start of the year, breaching Australian cricket’s fortress in a remarkable show off resolve, ambition and not a little flair, Virat Kohli and Co overcame the Proteas in style this time.
True, South Africa are not at their strongest at this point in time. The batting especially lacks the class and experience of A B de Villiers, Hashim Amla and Faf du Plessis, all of whom played in the 2018 series along with star bowlers Dale Steyn and Vernon Philander.
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Yet, there was a psychological obstacle to overcome for the Indian team. South Africa’s bowling, with Kagiso Rabada as the spearhead and Lungi Ngidi as foil with assorted other members in the support cast, is not to be sniffed at. Moreover, the Indian team had some stellar names like Rohit Sharma and Ravindra Jadeja missing.
Moreover, while there were mighty names like Virat Kohli, Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane in the batting, they were going through extended and worrying lean spells which made the team vulnerable. This levelled things out to a large degree given South Africa’s magnificent track record at the Centurion.
The scorecard does not reflect the admirable fight put up by South Africa, and how hard India had to work to win the Test. There were spells of play when it seemed the home team had snatched the advantage and would turn the tables on their more fancied rivals. But each time such threat loomed, India found someone to turn things around.
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India’s successes overseas in the past 5-6 years have been built around the efforts of the bowlers – pacemen to a large extent –who have almost unfailingly taken 20 wickets to put the side in positions from where victory is possible. That several such advantageous situations were squandered was because of the batting not living up to potential.
In this year, there had been substantial improvement in this aspect. India’s singular triumph in Australia last season wouldn’t have been possible without the sterling batting Pant, Vihari, Sundar, Ashwin, Thakur to complement the efforts of the bowlers. Likewise, while Bumrah, Shami and Siraj were splendid in the Centurion Test, India wouldn’t have won without the contributions of K L Rahul and Mayank Agarwal.
Their first wicket partnership of 117 in the first innings laid the foundation of India’s 300-plus score. Considering the second day collapse, when 7 wickets fell for a paltry 52 runs, this proved to be the decisive phase of play in the outcome of the match, the brilliance of Shami, Bumrah et al notwithstanding.
On a spicy Centurion pitch with inconsistent bounce, the fast bowlers were expected to do well, as they did from both teams: Shami and Bumrah for India, Rabada and Ngidi for South Africa. What helped India prevail was the batting in which Rahul-Agarwal partnership played the paramount role.
Both have had an fascinating year. Rahul had almost been certified as only a white ball specialist, having lost his Test place. He managed to get into the squad in England with some luck, but as middle order option. Injury to Shubman Gill created an unforeseen opportunity to be Rohit’s partner and he has n’t looked back since.
A century in England reiterated the class he had shown when he first burst on the Test scene. The century at Centurion, even more impressive, has sealed his position as opener. Fine technique, patience, ability to pick the right balls to hit, and a wide repertoire of strokes makes Rahul among the finest in the world today.
Agarwal too had lost his place in the Indian Test team and regained it with some luck when both Rohit and Rahul were rested for the two Test home series against New Zealand. Tall scores in both matches ensured he would not only be in the squad to South Africa, but also pip Gill as Rahul’s partner.
With a decent first innings score to defend, India’s pace bowlers went about their task with vigour and skill. Shami was outstanding in taking 8 wickets in the match which took him past 200 victims in the least number of deliveries by an Indian bowler.
Ability to get the ball to move either way, delivered with an impeccable seam position had the South Africa batsmen struggling against Shami. Bumrah was not too far behind, in fact striking some telling blows when the home team seemed to be getting on top. Siraj, Thakur and Ashwin provided excellent support.
In Australia, India were without Kohli, Bumrah and Shami for the most part, at Centurion, there was no Rohit or Jadeja. Victories came without star players which highlights the formidable bench strength in Indian cricket, and in turn the intense competition for places which is leading to individual and collective excellence.
For Kohli, this Centurion win was terribly, coming as it did on the heels of the division of captaincy between him (red ball) and Rohit Sharma (white ball) leadership which had caused tumult and controversy preceding this series. Skeptics had begun to argue that Kohli’s captaincy in Tests should also be on notice will have been quietened.
However, he has his batting form to worry about. In both innings, Kohli got a start, then succumbed to leave the team in trouble. The regular manner of his dismissals in the past couple of years, caught behind or in the slips chasing wide deliveries, has now become a saga of déjà vu.
With Pujara and Rahane (despite a strokeful 48 in the first innings) still short of runs too, India can’t take a first-ever series win in South Africa for granted. If India are to make history, the captain will have to show the way with his own bat.
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