Proteas Confident In Chase For Historic India Series Win 

Proteas Test bowling coach Piet Botha expressed confidence that if the team applied their skills smartly to the conditions at the ACA stadium – hosting its debut Test match – in Guwahati on Saturday, the World Test Champions could win their first series in India since 2000, dating back to a time when Hansie Cronje was captain. 

South Africa shocked India with a victory by 30 runs in a low-scoring affair in the first Test at Eden Gardens in Kolkata to continue their unbeaten run under captain Temba Bavuma.

The Test victory was also the Proteas’ first in India since their triumph in Nagpur in 2010; however, it was beset by a pre-game setback as leading fast bowler Kagiso Rabada had to be excluded following a rib injury sustained during training. 

Asked about Rabada’s availability for the second Test, Botha confirmed that the fast bowler was still being assessed.

“Rabada is still being monitored by our medical staff. He was not at practice on Wednesday, but we’ll make a call.”

With Rabada in doubt, Lungi Ngidi had been called up as cover, ensuring South Africa has sufficient firepower should its spearhead bowler not recover in time.

With the venue hosting its first-ever Test and no historical data to draw from on how the wicket might play over five days, Botha said the team has taken a close look at the surface, but with two days to go, its final nature remained uncertain.

“As far as the pitch is concerned, we had a look at it – we’re still two days out, it’s difficult to predict if they will cut more grass off. That will make a difference,” he noted. 

“What we heard is that it tends to be a good batting wicket upfront and becomes a spinning wicket later in the game. We’ll have to wait and see, maybe it spins earlier like the previous Test turned out to be.”

Interestingly, Guwahati is in the eastern-most part of India, which experiences a very early sunrise and sunset. The Indian Cricket Board has therefore decided to tweak the schedule of the second Test. 

The Test will start half an hour earlier, with the first session between 9:00 a.m. and 11:00 a.m. IST, followed by a 20-minute tea break. The second session will then take place, followed by a longer lunch session from 1:20 pm to 2:00 pm. The final session will run until the close of play at 4pm. 

The change prompted a light-hearted moment, with Botha joking, “It’s the first time in my career that I will have tea first and then lunch,” drawing laughter from reporters.

With the earlier start, Botha believes moisture and heat could influence the opening exchanges.

“With the game starting at 9am, it’s already quite hot. There will be some moisture, so in the first hour, the new ball should play a role, similar to Durban, where we start at 9 and the ball moves around in the first hour. We’ll play each session on its own and try to win session by session.”

The bowling coach harped on the importance of having two or three players who can contribute with both bat and ball – who can be relied on during different phases of the game – making it better for selection.   

“We need to adapt to the conditions and apply our skills to those conditions,” he said. 

Asked whether the players would be able to cope with the earlier-than-usual start time, Botha said preparation had already begun.

“It will be different because we usually start a Test match two hours later, but fortunately, we began practice early this morning. We are getting up earlier and we’re conditioning ourselves to be ready for the change,” he said. 

“It adds to the challenge of playing cricket because we need to know how to adapt and when to adapt.”

At one point leading up to the Test, spinner Simon Harmer, who had been carrying a shoulder niggle, was a doubt; however, he has been cleared to play.

“Harmer is fine – he bowled in the nets. If the ball spins as early as it did in Kolkata, with the majority of the Indian batters being left-handers, it brings Simon into the game. We balance him nicely with Keshav, who enjoys bowling to the right-handers.”

As Guwahati prepares for its inaugural Test, South Africa enters the match with cautious optimism – and a firm belief that disciplined, adaptable cricket could put them in position to chase a historic series victory.