*Official* India in South Africa

[James]

Thu Dec 16 - Mon Dec 20
1st Test - South Africa v India
SuperSport Park, Centurion

Sun Dec 26 - Thu Dec 30
2nd Test - South Africa v India
Kingsmead, Durban

Sun Jan 2 - Thu Jan 6
3rd Test - South Africa v India
Newlands, Cape Town

Sun Jan 9
Only T20I - South Africa v India

Wed Jan 12
1st ODI - South Africa v India
Kingsmead, Durban

Sat Jan 15
2nd ODI - South Africa v India
New Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg

Tue Jan 18
3rd ODI - South Africa v India
Newlands, Cape Town

Fri Jan 21
4th ODI - South Africa v India
St George's Park, Port Elizabeth

Sun Jan 23
5th ODI - South Africa v India
SuperSport Park, Centurion

 

[G.I.Joe]

South Africa's series' to lose.

 

[Bun]

Will there be a seperate forum for this like the AShes?

 

[GotSpin]

Will there be a seperate forum for this like the AShes?

 

[chicane]

As already pointed out, South Africa's series to lose.

Still I won't be able to watch live I think, but if it remains overcast, SA win the toss and Steyn gets the new ball I think I'll go into depression.

 

[Blaze 18]

As already pointed out, South Africa's series to lose.

Still I won't be able to watch live I think, but if it remains overcast, SA win the toss and Steyn gets the new ball I think I'll go into depression.

Is ten cricket the only channel that is going to be covering the series ?

 

[Woodster]

Massive test for India this, they want to be recognised as the best team in the world, then they have win series such as these in unfamiliar conditions. Similarly for SA, they have to beat the best to be considered as the best, it promises to be a great series.

On an individual basis we have heard so much of Virender Sehwag recently, and rightly so as he's been in blistering form. but will be interesting to see how he copes with the problems he'll face on these SA pitches. If he thrives then we can talk about him as one of the finest destructive batsmen in the world, regardless of conditions. I personally still have certain reservations about him when the track's a little more sporting.

 

[Furball]

Shame this isn't a 4 Test series tbh.

 

[Prad100w]

Would be a tough series for India. Already the talk of the pitches having more bounce in SA. Hope they do well still. Obviously its a tussle between the Indian batsmen and South African bowlers. I would like to see Pujara playing instead of Raina, who is an utter failure against bouncing ball. SA'n batting has gone really strong in the last couple of years with Amla and AB finding great success in the test arena. Would be nice to see how Indian bowlers perform on helpful wickets. All in all an intriguing series awaits..!!

 

[honestbharani]

RSA's to lose.. And this time, it is not an attempt at the anti-jinx or whatever..

 

[Woodster]

I would make SA favourites aswell, think India will struggle to come to terms with these conditions against a strong side.

 

[Blaze 18]

A question for the Indian fans on this site : if you had to choose between India winning the test series against South Africa and India winning the World Cup, what would you go for ?

 

[Prad100w]

Pretty tough that. Still i would go for the series win in SA. We have won the WC before but a test series in SA where conditions are so alien to many players in India will be quite an achievement. We have always been called as bad tourists and this win would clear doubts and uncertainties to a certain extent that many people have over this team being not deserving to be no:1. WC happens int he sub continent and in all likely hood we have a good chance to win it. But winning a test series in SA is going to be more sweeter for me. Moreover we haven't won a test series in SA ever.

 

[Woodster]

Pretty tough that. Still i would go for the series win in SA. We have won the WC before but a test series in SA where conditions are so alien to many players in India will be quite an achievement. We have always been called as bad tourists and this win would clear doubts and uncertainties to a certain extent that many people have over this team being not deserving to be no:1. WC happens int he sub continent and in all likely hood we have a good chance to win it. But winning a test series in SA is going to be more sweeter for me. Moreover we haven't won a test series in SA ever.

Fair enough, good to see Test cricket still plays an important part in the Indian supporters mind. I agree in that India have an exceptional chance of winning the World Cup, and this series represents a bigger test, in unfamiliar conditions against a strong outfit.

Not sure the BCCI would go along with this, I know schedules are very tight these days, but surely they should have made time available for one first-class tour match in SA at the very least. They are going straight into the Test series with only net practice giving them the chance to adjust. Poor preparation imo.

 

[Blaze 18]

Pretty tough that. Still i would go for the series win in SA.We have won the WC before but a test series in SA where conditions are so alien to many players in India will be quite an achievement. We have always been called as bad tourists and this win would clear doubts and uncertainties to a certain extent that many people have over this team being not deserving to be no:1. WC happens int he sub continent and in all likely hood we have a good chance to win it. But winning a test series in SA is going to be more sweeter for me. Moreover we haven't won a test series in SA ever.

Yeah, that is how I look at it as well. I would have gone for the World Cup if India hadn't won it in 1983, though.

 

[Prad100w]

Fair enough, good to see Test cricket still plays an important part in the Indian supporters mind. I agree in that India have an exceptional chance of winning the World Cup, and this series represents a bigger test, in unfamiliar conditions against a strong outfit.

Not sure the BCCI would go along with this, I know schedules are very tight these days, but surely they should have made time available for one first-class tour match in SA at the very least. They are going straight into the Test series with only net practice giving them the chance to adjust. Poor preparation imo.

Agrees with that. For a such an important tour like this its absurd not to have couple of practice games at least. No matter how early they go, Nothing like having match practice under your belt in those conditions before the tests start.

 

[Blaze 18]

Well, at least they sent the players early to South Africa. About the best one could have possibly hoped from the BCCI, to be honest.

 

[Woodster]

Agrees with that. For a such an important tour like this its absurd not to have couple of practice games at least. No matter how early they go, Nothing like having match practice under your belt in those conditions before the tests start.

It's frankly absurd. The biggest challenge India face is how they adjust to conditions, so the best way they can prepare for this is by playing a couple of warm-up matches. No amount of nets on bouncy wickets will prepare them for what they will face when Steyn and Morkel come steaming in at the Centurion. With it only being a three-Test series it's vital you hit the ground running, you cannot afford to take too long to become accustomed to the conditions.

Is the BCCI relying on their ability to be able to make the necessary adjustments without due preparation, or is it simply a case of concentrating on getting more ODI cricket in ahead of the World Cup and thus making their priorites clear ?

 

[chicane]

Is ten cricket the only channel that is going to be covering the series ?

I don't know man. Will be awesome if bcci.tv covers it. -) Does anyone know?

 

[Contra]

A question for the Indian fans on this site : if you had to choose between India winning the test series against South Africa and India winning the World Cup, what would you go for ?

WC

As much as I would love for India to win in SA I would want to win the WC in front of the home crowd even more. I mean yeah we haven't won a series in SA ever but we have not done well in ICC events either. Both our test and ODI teams have been working well under Dhoni. Sehwag / Zak / Yuvi / Nehra / Bhajji who were the youngsters in the 03 WC are now the experienced players. So I really want to see how we go this time around.