Head coach Rahul Dravid has asserted that Team India is not taking the South African bowling as casual and lightly ahead of the Boxing Day Test in Centurion. Virat Kohli and Co. are on a mission in South Africa to win their first-ever Test series on the Proteas soil and many think this is the perfect time for India to unlock the achievement against an unsettled South Africa side. The hosts are going through a rejuvenation period after the retirement of their several legends, while India have turned into a dominant side with their terrific record in the last two big overseas tours in Australia and England.
With Anrich Nortje being ruled out, the South African bowling attack looked a bit casual, while Dravid doesn’t think that by any stretch of the imagination.
“I don’t think this attack is casual by any stretch of the imagination. I think it’s a very good South African attack. I will certainly say that our attack is more experienced than the South African attack at this point of time in terms of the number of Test matches played which probably might not have been the case in the past,” Dravid said in the press conference ahead of the first Test match against South Africa.
India vs South Africa: Full Coverage | Photos | Schedule | Results
India head coach believes that South Africa have got some proven performers in the bowling attack and the visitors have to bat well to give their own bowlers a chance to claim 20 wickets.
“It’s certain they have got quality, they have got some very good bowlers in their home conditions. They have got some proven performers as well so we are certainly not going to take them either casually or lightly, we know we have a contest in our hands we know if we going to put up the kind of score that will give our bowlers a chance to take 20 wickets. We have to bat very very well. We have discussed that they are going to be periods in this Test series where we going to have to fight and work really hard. We don’t take any attack very casually,” he said.
Dravid further showed his belief in Indian bowlers and claims that he backed them to 20 wickets in the South African conditions.
“I certainly feel that we have a great attack this time and we have got some experienced and talented bowlers in the overall group. We can certainly fight back and we back ourselves to take 20 wickets in these conditions,” he added.
ALSO READ | India Has the Best Pace Attack, They Starts as Favourites at Centurion and Wanderers: Ali Bacher
However, Dravid refused to reveal the playing XI on the eve of the Boxing Day Test as he doesn’t want to open his cards in front of the opposition.
“I think we are very clear within our group about what the kind of team is going to play in the Boxing Day Test match but I just like to keep it that way. From a perspective of a batsman, I would like to know what kind of bowlers the oppositions are playing, We don’t need to inform the opposition about what our exact playing XI is going to be. We will see that tomorrow morning at the toss,” Dravid said.
Get all the IPL news and Cricket Score here
.