The ODI format has seen the Proteas enjoy success in India in recent tours. To do it again the senior players will have to step up to show the next generation how to slay a Giant, writes Ongama Gcwabe.
The test of India will be a different ball game to playing England and Australia, where we played in familiar conditions and with fans cheering for us.
The games will be sold out and the loud Indian fans will most definitely bring their A-game in playing that 12th-man role throughout the series.
For the senior guys, they will know what awaits them in India. But they’ve been there, they’ve been tested and they’ve slain the Giant (India).
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For them to do it again they will need Faf du Plessis, David Miller and Quinton de Kock to step up and show the youngsters how it’s done.
“We understand that we’re coming here with an inexperienced side in these conditions. It’s important that guys like Faf, me and David Miller to help these guys out here, help lead the way about these conditions,” said De Kock.
“India’s become an unbelievable team, they’ve got great bowlers and great batsmen but I’m sure we also come in here with a lot of confidence and I’m sure we’ll have a good series anyway.”
If you’ve forgotten, the last Proteas ODI series in India saw our batters dominate throughout the series.
Du Plessis had an unbelievable series, he finished with one hundred and three fifties at an average of 81. De Kock finished with two centuries at an average of 64.
Faf has been rested for quite some time now, so I imagine he will be raring to dance again.
The vivid scars of last years’ Test series whitewash to India will be a motivation and I’m sure he will do all he can to get one over India.
“Faf’s come back, he plays a big role for us in the leadership point of view. He’s here to help out a lot of the young guys in our team,” said De Kock.
“It was important for him just to put up his feet a little bit. To regather his thoughts. We’re undecided where he’s gonna bat at the moment, but we’ll come up with a decision later.”
The two teams get things underway at the HPCA Stadium in Dharamshala tomorrow at 10am CAT.
