IND vs SA: Only Rabada Can Bowl That Good!! Former South African Legends Gives Massive Statement On Rohit Sharma-Led Team India's Chances
After the white-ball leg, India and South Africa will now face each other in the red-ball format as the two-match Test series between the two nations is supposed to begin on December 26. The star batting duo of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli will be back in action along with Jasprit Bumrah who will be back in red-ball cricket after a year and a half. Mohammed Shami, who was initially included in the squad will miss the series as he is nursing an ankle injury.
Even though Shami’s absence will leave a gaping hole in the squad, former South African pacer Fanie de Villiers believes that the Rohit Sharma-led Indian team has the best chance of winning the Test series in South Africa. If they can pull it off, it will be India’s first-ever Test series win in South Africa. “Indian team has arrived in South Africa with its best ever chance (to win a series),” De Villiers said during an exclusive interview before the Boxing Day Test starting December 26.
Fanie De Villiers was formerly known for his sneaky slower ones in white-ball cricket. He was Allan Donald’s esteemed new ball partner until the mid-1990s. De Villiers praised Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, and Mohammed Siraj for forming a pace unit that grasps the significance of line in pacer-friendly conditions more than length, distinguishing them from some of India’s earlier bowling attacks.
Rohit Sharma’s Indian Team Has A Really Good Bowling Attack As Per Fanie De Villiers
“For the first time they have got fast bowlers, who can bowl ‘the line’ and not just hit the length. They can bowl on the imaginary ‘fifth’, ‘sixth’ off-stump line. If you can get at least four balls on that corridor, that’s how you win Tests,” said the bowler, having a stunning economy rate of less than four in 85 ODIs and less than three in 18 Tests.
“India have been coming for many years but very few of your fast bowlers were line bowlers. But now you have Bumrah and Siraj. Yes, I agree that Shami not playing makes a massive difference. But Siraj and Bumrah are bowlers who can bowl line, whereas South African bowlers bowl from off to leg stump.
“Because they (Proteas pacers) are youngsters running and trying to bowl fast. Only Rabada can bowl that good line, I think India have got the best chance ever.”
During India’s previous outing in South Africa in 2021-22, the Indian team won the first Test in Centurion but went on to face defeats in the other two thus losing the series 1-2. It was Virat Kohli’s last outing as the Indian skipper. Virat left the role shortly after the series with Rohit Sharma being appointed as the new captain of the Indian Cricket team.
Rohit Sharma has the chance to create history by winning the first-ever Test series on South African soil. He doesn’t boast a good record in Tests on South African soil with only 123 runs to his name in four Tests. Rohit Sharma will also look to change his records in the Test series and wi;ll hopefully lead India to glory.
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Fanie de Villiers IND vs SA 2023-24 India National Cricket Team Mohammed Shami Rohit Sharma South Africa National Cricket Team
