The time has come for the Proteas to put India in their place

COMMENT

India have been dominant at home over South Africa for long enough. The time has come for the Proteas to put an end to their run in the two-match Test series, which started early on Friday morning at Eden Gardens.

For the players, playing Test cricket in India can be a tough experience. Equally, for South African fans watching at home, it can be painful waking up in the early hours of the morning, only to see their team field for 140 overs or more and get bowled out inside 40.

The frustration is often visible across social media platforms as fans voice their opinions. At times, the players’ frustrations are also clear on the field.

Who can forget the incident in 2019 when Kagiso Rabada and Quinton de Kock went toe-to-toe during a Test in India?

After an unsuccessful over, Rabada collected the ball and threw it over De Kock in anger at why the wicket-keeper hadn’t collected it properly. De Kock responded in kind, sparking a heated argument that required then-captain Faf du Plessis to intervene.

In that situation, the real issue was not about mistakes; it was the frustration of being dominated by India in extreme conditions.

This time around, the stars seem perfectly aligned for KG to have his moment, as the 30-year-old has yet to win a Test in India in six matches, having started his career there a decade ago.

The Proteas squad has recently returned from Pakistan, winning the second Test convincingly — a feat that suggests this unit has what it takes to succeed in the subcontinent.

After all, this Proteas side has defied the odds on numerous occasions over the past two to three years, winning a series in Bangladesh, qualifying for the World Test Championship (WTC) final, and then winning it against arch-rivals Australia at Lord’s.

While a series win in India would be a massive achievement, it would not be a surprise, as this current Test group has consistently delivered under the leadership of captain Temba Bavuma and coach Shukri Conrad.

Looking at the India squad, and given that they were whitewashed at home by New Zealand a year ago, the Proteas have every reason to believe they can assert themselves in this series.

Given that the whole world still believes that Bavuma and his men had an easy route to the WTC final in the previous cycle, this series offers the group an opportunity to put all that talk to bed, too.

This team has a chance to send a strong statement to all other Test-playing nations that South Africa means business. A series victory in India will not only silence criticism but will also place this Test team among the best Proteas sides in history.

It is important to note that the Proteas have performed well against India at home, as no India Test team has ever won a series in South Africa, while the Proteas managed a series victory in India in 2000.

Moreover, the Proteas have been vocal about their disapproval of being scheduled only two-match Test series in recent years. This series in India provides an opportunity to carry that message forward and demonstrate to the ICC and the world that South Africa prioritises Test cricket and deserves the respect of full three- to five-match series in the future.

South Africa head into this Test series in India with confidence, experience and a point to prove. With a squad capable of handling the pressures of the subcontinent and leaders like Temba Bavuma and Kagiso Rabada at the helm, the Proteas have the tools to not only challenge India but to make history; and inprove their record of 18 wins, 16 losses and 10 draws.

A series win would cement their status as one of the strongest Test sides in the world and send a clear message that South Africa is a force to be reckoned with in every corner of the cricketing globe.