'SA can be a watershed series'

The Proteas will be under pressure to win, feels Shastri

Team India director Ravi Shastri feels the four-match Test series against South Africa beginning here on Thursday can be a watershed moment for this Indian team, similar to the one against Steve Waugh’s Australia in 2001 when India staged a remarkable comeback to claim a historic 2-1 triumph.

“I can’t remember a series since then which was as big as this,” said Shastri here on Tuesday when asked if he saw any similarities between the two series. “The opportunity is there for the team to go out there and show the true mettle and colours. If they end up winning, nothing like it, it will be brilliant. It will be a real achievement. Before that (Australia) it was the West Indies when they came in the 80s. When you saw those kinds of teams coming, you wanted to win a game or a Test match. It was always a big moment in Indian cricket. That’s why I say this is going to be one of the biggest series in a long time,” he explained.

Though South Africa are on the verge of becoming the first nation to win series in all three formats in India, Shastri thought the pressure was on the visitors.

“I don’t think so,” he maintained when asked if the home team was under pressure after having lost T20I and ODI series. “In fact I look at it the other way round. I put it right back on South Africa. They have been unbeaten in seven years and India has a great opportunity to upstage them and do something special. If India beat South Africa, they will go two-three places up in Test rankings… I am someone who always looks at what can be positive. That (winning) can be a positive for SA but a huge positive for India, if they play to potential.”

While not entirely ruling out the possibility of plying three spinners, the former India all-rounder said the conditions would dictate bowling combination.

“It’s about what allows you or gives you a chance to take 20 wickets,” he said. “One thing that you will see with this side is that we will play positive cricket. We will look to play to win. We will not be intimidated by the opposition or their ranking. The thing about this side, the way we want to play over four-five years is, you look to take it forward every game you play, try and win the game, and win series; whether it is at home or overseas.

For that to happen, you need to take 20 wickets. How can you get those 20 wickets, what is the best combination, is it four, is it five, we will have to decide based on conditions,” he analysed.

According to Shastri, the series win in Sri Lanka, where the conditions were largely similar to that of India, will hold Virat Kohli and company in good stead.

“In fact the pitches there were quite interesting because there was something there for everybody,” he pointed out. “For example, the fast bowlers got wickets, the spinners got wickets, batsmen had to bat really well to get runs and I think the big test was the oppressive heat which you may not find here because we are already getting into the winter. But that (SL series) will stand them in good stead, there is no doubt about that.”