Batting legend Sachin Tendulkar is banking on India to make history in South Africa, stating that Virat Kohli’s side are well prepared, and have the balance in their ranks to hurt the mighty hosts, Hindustan Times reported.
As for captain Kohli, who faces his first major assignment away from home, Tendulkar’s advice was the age old “stick to basics”, but emphasised on India getting big totals to stand a chance, “Virat Kohli will succeed if the team succeeds. Virat should just play his normal game and stick to the basics,” he said.
“The team should rally around him. India can only succeed if they can put up good totals. Runs will matter and not only Virat, but the entire team has to contribute. So, it’s not only about Virat Kohli.”
Pandya an ‘asset’
India have gone more than two years undefeated in Tests and Tendulkar feels the team’s trump card is all-rounder Hardik Pandya, who has been one of the side’s fastest-rising talents during the past year, “In my 24 years with the Indian Test team we never had the balance this team has. The man who brings in such versatility is Hardik Pandya,” Tendulkar said.
“A guy who can bowl 17-18 overs and is perfectly capable of scoring runs at No 7 or 8 is an asset. This is going to be Pandya’s biggest series and Virat will be banking on him.”
The 44-year-old also explained that Pandya’s inclusion lends India a balance that was never seen before, “Simply because he [Pandya] can do the job of the fourth seamer, bat like a good middle-order batsman and is a good fielder. For the first time India can afford to play with three genuine seamers.”
“Never before could we think of three pacers and a fourth one to fall back on – not even during Kapil Dev’s time could we enjoy this luxury. At best we would play with three quicks with Manoj Prabhakar being one of them. But this team is just so well balanced.”
Slip catching not a worry
An area where India has been found out during their unblemished run under Kohli is slip catching, which came under the scanner in the recently concluded Test series against Sri Lanka too. Tendulkar, though, feels that it will be a different tale in South Africa,
He said: “[Slip catching is] Extremely decisive, but let me tell you India will be better off on South African wickets where the ball will come at a good pace and height. They can stand back and wait for the ball to come. In India, we can’t do this as the balls come low and we have to stand closer to the wickets.”
As for the Proteas, the Master Blaster feels that they will have their task cut out, given that stalwarts AB de Villiers and Dale Steyn are coming back into the side after a lengthy break.
He picked out batting ace Hashim Amla and De Villiers as the key performers, and opined that the hosts will be missing some of their former greats during the series.
“If South Africa have to be successful, then De Villiers and Hashim Amla must score in every match. Du Plessis is the third man in the pecking order, but it’s about De Villiers and Amla.”
“If India can get them out early, then that’s a big job done. De Villiers is the key man for sure. South Africa will now feel the absence of a Kallis, Graeme Smith and Mark Boucher.”
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