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The Indian men’s cricket team has demonstrated their dominance in various conditions across the globe. However, there remains an elusive quest haunting their illustrious Test cricket history – a series victory in South Africa. Despite India’s remarkable achievements in Test cricket in recent years which include Test series victories in Australia, the Indian cricket teams have faced challenges in conquering the South African frontier. In fact, India have won only four Test matches in South Africa in three decades. Here’s a look at the reasons behind this unattained feat.
The primary challenge in South Africa is the pace-friendly pitches that offer bounce and movement, conditions often unfamiliar to Indian players of previous eras. Different generations of South African speedsters which have included the likes of Allan Doland, Shaun Pollock, Makhaya Ntini, Dale Steyn and now Kagiso Rabada have made life difficult for Indian batters with consistent pace over the years.
Team India has embarked on eight previous tours to South Africa, with the inaugural visit taking place during the 1992/93 season. Under the captaincy of Mohammad Azharuddin, the team participated in a four-match Test series, which India lost 1-0.
Alien conditions
Pre-tour preparation for India’s first tour to South Africa included no conditioning camp or practice matches. The players assembled in Bombay (now Mumbai) a few days before departure solely to obtain tour clothing and participate in the traditional team photo session.
Contrary to today where the Indian team travels with a large support squad that includes net bowlers and reserves as well, India’s support staff for the first tour included the coach, physio and a team manager.
Despite enduring years of political isolation and cricket seclusion, South Africa emerged as the superior team, propelled by the formidable duo of Allan Donald and Brett Schultz spearheading the South African bowling attack. Additionally, Keppler Wessels, Andrew Hudson, Peter Kirsten, and Jonty Rhodes made for an imposing batting lineup on home turf.
India’s squad for the Tour included youngsters Sachin Tendulkar, Anil Kumble and Javagal Srinath with Kapil Dev in the twilight of his career.
After their maiden tour, India revisited South Africa in the 1996/97 and 2001/02 seasons. Unfortunately, Team India couldn’t secure a Test match victory on either occasion.
The Indian team’s struggles to consistently produce a potent pace attack capable of exploiting the bounce and movement offered by the pitches continued to haunt them. The inability to consistently take wickets hampered India’s chances of securing victories.
Historic win
With technology on the rise and better exposure before the tours, Indian bowlers started to adapt to the conditions better as the years progressed.
The South African team, led by Graeme Smith, were firm favourites to win the three-match Test series in 2006. However, India achieved a historic feat in the first Test Test at the New Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg. Marked by stellar performances from pacers S Sreesanth and Zaheer Khan, India clinched their first-ever Test win on South African soil and took a 1-0 lead in the series.
Under the captaincy of Rahul Dravid, India posted 249 in the first innings after choosing to bat first. The team then bowled out South Africa for a mere 84 with Sreesanth leading the charge with 5/40. India managed 236 in the second innings to put on a target of 401 for South Africa, who were dismissed for 278 in response. India won the first Test by 123 runs.
India had good outing practice in the tour match in Potchefstroom a week before the Test and South Africa had lost two of their last three Tests at the same venue against England and Australia which helped the Indian side study those matches and prepare better for the Test series. Despite taking a 1-0 lead, India eventually lost the series 1-2.
MS Dhoni era
MS Dhoni was the captain for the 2010/11 tour and Team India secured their second victory in the format in South Africa. Though India lost the first match at Centurion by an innings and 25 runs, Harbhajan Singh’s 4/10 helped India restrict South Africa to 131 in the first innings of the second match in Durban after India posted 205.
VVS Laxman’s gritty 96 helped India post 228 runs in the second innings before S Sreesanth and Zaheer Khan claimed three wickets each to bowl out South Africa for 215 and secure India’s 87-run victory. The third Test at Cape Town concluded in a draw, resulting in a 1-1 finish for the three-match series.
Three years later in 2013, India flew to South Africa for a two-match Test series. India lost the Test series 1-0.
Virat Kohli’s reign
In the 2017/18 season, India, led by Virat Kohli, embarked on a tour of South Africa, engaging in a three-Test series that commenced with a disheartening 72-run loss in Cape Town. The series deficit deepened to 0-2 following a 135-run defeat in the second Test.
Despite the setbacks, India staged a remarkable turnaround, clinching a 63-run victory in the third Test at Johannesburg, ending the series with a 2-1 result. Pacers Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami played pivotal roles, each securing five-wicket hauls in the first and second innings, respectively, averting a potential whitewash.
India’s triumphs in South Africa were further boosted during the 2021/22 tour. The series commenced with India achieving their inaugural Test victory at SuperSport Park in Centurion, finally succeeding after two prior attempts.
Opting to bat first, KL Rahul’s resilient knock of 123 powered India to a total of 327 in the first innings. The visitors then dismissed the hosts for 197 before posting a score of 174 in the second innings, setting South Africa a target of 305. Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami combined forces, bowling out the Proteas for 191, leading to a commanding 113-run victory and a 1-0 series lead.
However, South Africa retaliated strongly, securing victories in the second and third Test matches at Johannesburg and Cape Town, both by a seven-wicket margin. These wins enabled them to clinch the series 2-1.
Under the leadership of Rohit Sharma, India has once again embarked on a quest to conquer South Africa. The upcoming tour presents India with an opportunity to rewrite history and clinch a monumental Test series victory against the Proteas. This expedition holds the promise of a new chapter in India’s cricketing journey, one that could potentially reshape the narrative of their performances on South African soil.
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