Comeback kings India eye history

When the Indians landed in South Africa last month, there was a never-before-seen optimism that this team could be the one to finally crack the Rainbow Nation code. In seven previous visits to South Africa since the first Test tour in 1992-93, the Indians had lost six and drawn once.

Kohli’s men though have been breaking barriers consistently over the last few years in the game’s traditional format. They became the first Asian team to win a Test series in Australia in 2018-19 series and followed that up with a heroic 2-1 triumph in the 2020-21 series. While they’ve continued to be tigers at home, conquering all comers, they are perhaps the most dangerous travellers at the moment.

So, when they crushed South Africa in the opening Test, the optimism sounded realistic. Their red-hot pace attack simply tore apart an inexperienced South Africa batting unit. They were expected to seal the deal in Johannesburg, but things can change dramatically in sport and the Indians got a taste of it in the second Test last week.

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They lost skipper Virat Kohli to a back spasm on the morning of the game, then Mohammed Siraj pulled his hamstring early on in his spell in the first innings — he bowled very limited post that without the usual hostility — and the duo of Mohammed Shami and Jasprit Bumrah, despite bowling their hearts out, just couldn’t recreate the magic like they mostly do. South Africa, led from the front astutely by Dean Elgar, scripted a sensational comeback to level the series, not only rejuvenating themselves but serving a warning to the Indians that things will not be easy in the decider which kicks off in Cape Town on Tuesday .

The Indians though will not be losing sleep over the defeat and Kohli, who will return for the decider, has inspired his warriors previously from such setbacks to emerge triumphant. They lost the second Test against Australia in the 2018-19 series after winning the first before going on to win the third and only an incessant rain in the fourth Test stopping them from making the scoreline 3-1.

Even in the 2020-21 series, the Indians crashed to 36 all out in the second innings of the first Test before turning things in stunning fashion, winning the second at MCG, pulling off a great draw in the third and then breaching fortress Gabba in the concluding fourth.

The current crop has made such comebacks even in other series as well — won 2-1 in Sri Lanka in 2015 after losing the opening Test, defeated Australia 2-1 at home after being humbled in the opener, trashed England 3-1 at home after losing the opening Test. Defeats don’t rankle this side and Bumrah indicated that in second Test where he was heard saying in the stump mic “there’s still one more to play”.

The Indians though will want their seasoned batsmen to rise up. They did so slightly in the second but if India desire to script another comeback then one or two of them will have to make it big. Also the bowlers will have to find a way past the big blade of Dean Elgar. The left-hander has tormented the Indians with his obduracy, facing a whopping 468 balls so far. Cut from the old school of Test batting, he’s happy to leave balls alone all day and play the waiting game.

Although the spotlight remains on whether India can create history, the South Africans will be quietly confident of replicating the Wanderers effort. Kagiso Rabada has led the pace attack inspiringly while left-armer Marco Jansen has caused plenty of discomfort for the Indians with the bounce he’s able to procure. Lungi Ngidi, always smiling, has quietly chipped away by bagging wickets at crucial times. Their batsmen also rallied nicely around Elgar and will be keen to build on the momentum.

A Indian team chasing history and an inexperienced South Africa hoping to keep their proud record alive, the decider is nicely set up.

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