Mohammad Azharuddin Feels India Will Face the Real Test On the South Africa Tour

Former Indian skipper Mohammad Azharuddin was of the opinion that Team India would face the real stern challenge during their tour of South Africa scheduled to start in January 2018. India will now face Sri Lanka in a full series comprising of 3 Tests and as many ODI’s and T20I’s starting from tomorrow at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata.

“The Sri Lanka series will be challenging, but India’s real test will be against South Africa,” Azharuddin was quoted as saying by the reporters on the sidelines of the inaugural Jagmohan Dalmiya Lecture.

The Sri Lanka series will be more of a practice series ahead of the gruelling South Africa tour as India are the overwhelming favourites to thrash Sri Lanka across all formats.

India will play 3 Tests, 6 ODI’s and 3 T20I’s against South Africa in January-February next year. Meanwhile, the former skipper also heaped praises on skipper Virat Kohli who has done a tremendous job for India so far both as a player and as a captain and will to continue his dominant run even in the series against the Lankans.

“He is outstanding. The way he is leading from the front is good to see,” Azhar said of Kohli.

The opening Test is scheduled to be played at the iconic Eden Gardens and it is a known fact that the former Indian skipper Azharuddin had a love affair with the ground and scored heaps of runs. He struck some special knocks in Eden and Azhar conceded that it was indeed a special ground for them.

“Whatever I have, when you talk of memories at the Eden, they are only happy ones. I like this ground a lot,” Azhar said.

The former skipper was part of the invitees who led India in the CAB Jubilee Year Hero Cup in the year 1993. Azhar was one poof the most successful Indian captains during his tenure until his reputation in the cricketing circles was hampered due to his alleged involvement in match-fixing in 2000.