Cricket fans in India are in for a treat with a mouth-watering tour by South Africa beginning on Friday. Thankfully, this is not going to be one of those watered-down tours with only two Tests – this time, the Proteas will be making their longest tour to India, playing four Tests, three Twenty20 Internationals and five One Day Internationals over 72 long days.
There is no reason to believe that the cricket on display will be anything but captivating. South Africa are the only team in international cricket that have bucked the recent trend of playing poorly away from home – the last time they lost a Test series away was in 2006. Facing off against them is a strong Indian team, buoyed by their recent success in Sri Lanka and raring to prove a point. While the South Africa side is loaded with enough seasoned performers with the likes of Hashim Amla, Dale Steyn and AB De Villiers, here is a look at some of their players who have the potential to spring a surprise or two.
Kyle Abbott
Breaking into a bowling lineup comprising of Steyn, Morne Morkel and Vernon Philander cannot be easy, but Abbott has added to his credentials with some impressive performances in recent times. In his debut Test in Centurion against Pakistan, Abbott destroyed Pakistan with a first innings haul of 7/29. He had a good 2015 World Cup and was South Africa’s best bowler in terms of strike rate and economy, but was unlucky to miss out on the semi-final, a match where South Africa suffered a heart-breaking loss. If he does get a chance, expect his tall frame and late movement to cause problems for the Indian batsmen.
Chris Morris
A big-hitting batsman and a bowler who can deliver at speeds of over 140 kilometres per hour, Chris Morris is the type of player which all teams crave for. And though his numbers on the international stage may not seem very impressive, Morris’ experience of playing in the Indian Premier League will make him as an asset for the Proteas. He was one of Rajasthan Royals’ top performers in IPL 2015, picking up 13 wickets at an average of around 24. As a strike rate of 160 plus shows, he does not mess around with the bat.
Kagiso Rabada
Hailing from Johannesburg, 20-year old Kagiso Rabada may be just five ODIs old, but he has already become a force to be reckoned with. Debuting against Bangladesh, who were just coming off a series victory against India, Rabada sliced through the Bangla batting with figures for 6/16. A bowling average of just 16 after five ODIs is impressive, but Rabada is not someone to overlook – he was instrumental in the South Africa U-19 team winning the 2014 U-19 World Cup. Where does South Africa get these fast bowlers from?
Simon Harmer
South Africa have traditionally struggled with a paucity in their spinning ranks, but this time, they have a problem of plenty with three proper spinners to choose from – Imran Tahir, Simon Harmer and Dan Piedt. Though Tahir has been good for the Proteas in the limited-overs formats, South Africa has plumped for Simon Harmer in the longer version and it increasingly looks to be a good bet. While Tahir is a far more aggressive bowler, he can tend to get a little wayward while Harmer provides a more holding option. In the three Tests he has played till now, Harmer has bolstered his reputation, picking up seven wickets on his debut against West Indies in Cape Town and then doing reasonably well in Bangladesh. His toughest Test will come against India, but if he can exploit some of the turn on offer, South Africa will breathe much more easily.
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There is no reason to believe that the cricket on display will be anything but captivating. South Africa are the only team in international cricket that have bucked the recent trend of playing poorly away from home – the last time they lost a Test series away was in 2006. Facing off against them is a strong Indian team, buoyed by their recent success in Sri Lanka and raring to prove a point. While the South Africa side is loaded with enough seasoned performers with the likes of Hashim Amla, Dale Steyn and AB De Villiers, here is a look at some of their players who have the potential to spring a surprise or two.
Kyle Abbott
Breaking into a bowling lineup comprising of Steyn, Morne Morkel and Vernon Philander cannot be easy, but Abbott has added to his credentials with some impressive performances in recent times. In his debut Test in Centurion against Pakistan, Abbott destroyed Pakistan with a first innings haul of 7/29. He had a good 2015 World Cup and was South Africa’s best bowler in terms of strike rate and economy, but was unlucky to miss out on the semi-final, a match where South Africa suffered a heart-breaking loss. If he does get a chance, expect his tall frame and late movement to cause problems for the Indian batsmen.
Chris Morris
A big-hitting batsman and a bowler who can deliver at speeds of over 140 kilometres per hour, Chris Morris is the type of player which all teams crave for. And though his numbers on the international stage may not seem very impressive, Morris’ experience of playing in the Indian Premier League will make him as an asset for the Proteas. He was one of Rajasthan Royals’ top performers in IPL 2015, picking up 13 wickets at an average of around 24. As a strike rate of 160 plus shows, he does not mess around with the bat.
Kagiso Rabada
Hailing from Johannesburg, 20-year old Kagiso Rabada may be just five ODIs old, but he has already become a force to be reckoned with. Debuting against Bangladesh, who were just coming off a series victory against India, Rabada sliced through the Bangla batting with figures for 6/16. A bowling average of just 16 after five ODIs is impressive, but Rabada is not someone to overlook – he was instrumental in the South Africa U-19 team winning the 2014 U-19 World Cup. Where does South Africa get these fast bowlers from?
Simon Harmer
South Africa have traditionally struggled with a paucity in their spinning ranks, but this time, they have a problem of plenty with three proper spinners to choose from – Imran Tahir, Simon Harmer and Dan Piedt. Though Tahir has been good for the Proteas in the limited-overs formats, South Africa has plumped for Simon Harmer in the longer version and it increasingly looks to be a good bet. While Tahir is a far more aggressive bowler, he can tend to get a little wayward while Harmer provides a more holding option. In the three Tests he has played till now, Harmer has bolstered his reputation, picking up seven wickets on his debut against West Indies in Cape Town and then doing reasonably well in Bangladesh. His toughest Test will come against India, but if he can exploit some of the turn on offer, South Africa will breathe much more easily.