Cricket: South Africa head to Guwahati eyeing first Test series victory in India in over two decades
Proteas look to ride momentum after victory in Kolkata
South Africa defied the betting odds in a big way last week when they successfully defended a target of just 124 in the second innings of their first Test against India at Eden Gardens to come away with a 30-run victory on Day 3.
On a difficult batting wicket in Kolkata, no Indian batsman managed to score a half-century or better in either of their innings, while Proteas’ skipper Temba Bavuma was the only player to do so for the visitors in their second innings.
That victory was the first that the South Africans have managed in India since 2010, and they are now eyeing a clean sweep, which would mark their first series triumph in this part of the world since 2000. Speaking ahead of the second Test, team coach Shukri Conrad said:
“We won a World Test Championship final against Australia at Lord’s earlier this year. We came to India and played at Eden Gardens and we achieved something we hadn’t accomplished for 15 years. This ranks amongst our finest moments.”
In the opposite dugout, pressure is firmly on Gautam Gambhir to respond here, as he has now won just nine of 18 Tests since replacing Rahul Dravid. India have lost four home Tests in their last six, including a 3-0 whitewash defeat by New Zealand last year.
Enforced changes expected for second IND-RSA Test
India suffered a major blow in the Kolkata Test, with their captain, Shubman Gill, sustaining a neck injury, which saw him taken to the hospital and forced to miss his side’s second innings.
While there is no official confirmation about his availability for the second match, widespread reports have indicated that he will likely be rested for this match, with Sai Sudharsan expected to replace him in the starting lineup.
As for South Africa, their star paceman Kagiso Rabada was a late exclusion from their starting 11 for the match at Eden Gardens, and it was confirmed on Wednesday that Lungi Ngidi had been summoned by Conrad to join the squad for match two.
Ngidi’s call-up likely suggests that Rabada will not be risked for the Guwahati Test, especially with the limited-overs series on the horizon. The Proteas’ other pace options include Marco Jansen, Corbin Bosch and Wiaan Mulder.
