Tough terrain ahead as Team India take on SA in second Test

DURBAN: India are in uncharted waters in their 3-Test series against South Africa. They’re playing away from home, are leading 1-0 and, on the face of it, they seem to have the confidence — if not historical backing — to be able to take the hosts on in a ground that has traditionally been hostile to them.

South Africa, on the other hand, are bewildered at the position they find themselves in — on the backfoot. Monday was the most practice the home team has had since they split up for the Christmas break after the Wanderers Test. With barely 24 hours to go before the toss, the only aspect they can bolster at this stage is the mental — a terrain where little demons would have been wreaking havoc after their collapse on all fronts in Johannesburg.

Failure is always a good excuse to shake things up a little and the hosts are planning to do just that with AB De Villiers, their best batsman from the previous game, set to open along with his struggling captain Graeme Smith. Herschelle Gibbs, the other swashbuckler gone awry, will bat down the order. They also have a semi-fit Dale Steyn to contend with. The fast bowler who had done India much damage in their tour-opening practice game is probably going to miss out with either fast bowler Morkel or all-rounder Andrew Hall likely to replace him. Left-arm spinner Paul Harris hasn’t been ruled out by the Proteas’ team management as a possibility either.

Success, on the other hand, usually allows men to keep the faith. The opening batsmen have been giving the tourists some concern on this tour but captain Rahul Dravid, announcing the 12 members of the squad for the second Test on Monday, said that they were going to retain the XI who played in the previous Test, along with Munaf Patel coming in for Harbhajan Singh (who was 12th man at the Wanderers).

There had been speculation on whether Wasim Jaffer would lose his place to Gautam Gambhir on two counts — Jaffer’s persistent failure on this tour and Gambhir’s confident 79 in the recent practice game. But Dravid was not giving up on his opening pair just yet.

“Wasim is a proven performer for us. Only 3-4 matches back, he got a double hundred for us in difficult conditions in Antigua,” said Dravid. “He’s not had the best of tours. But his recent Test record is very good and we have to give him as many opportunities as we can. He’s someone who is working really hard in the nets. He needs some time. I think this probably will be the match which will turn his series around. I won’t give up on Wasim that quickly.”

The only change likely is Munaf coming in for VRV Singh. But that, said Dravid, is a decision that will be taken on Tuesday morning. “Munaf pulled up well after the eight overs he bowled (in the practice game). He came and practiced yesterday and he bowled a few overs too. He’s pulling up consistently well everyday. We’ll take a decision tomorrow morning based on how he feels, how confident he is and whether he can last the course of the Test match,” he said.

Team composition, however, is a minor complication compared to the pressure building up on both ends, albeit of different kinds. South Africa not only stand to lose the series but also face the risk of multiplying the self-doubts that have palpably crept over not only the players, but also the system here.

India, meanwhile, are in a position to win the series as well as huge momentum leading up to the World Cup, looming large around the corner. And in this tussle between those fighting for ‘all’ and against ‘nothing’, only those who carry their burden lightest will survive.