The Proteas’ superstars will be key to victory in Pakistan, but also hold the responsibility of putting on a show in a country that has been starved of Test cricket over the last 13 years, writes Khalid Mohidin.
Setting the Scene:
The Proteas take on Pakistan in a highly anticipated Test series in Karachi and Rawalpindi. This will be the country’s first tour to Pakistan since 2007/08 when the Proteas beat the hosts 1-0.
In that series, the first Test was also in Karachi, which saw the Proteas win by a handsome 160 runs.
Jacques Kallis was the Player of the Match with 155 in the first innings, which saw the top 6 contribute 435 runs collectively.
Kallis also managed to score an unbeaten 100 in the second innings, which put the Proteas in the ascendancy.
Although Dale Steyn put on a masterclass in the second innings taking 5/56 to seal a comprehensive win, it was the left-arm spinners who had plenty to say in the match.
Paul Harris (7/131) and Abdur Rehman (8/210) were key figures in the contest.
What does this say about Karachi?
Over the years, the spinners have been very successful, with names such as Abdul Qadir (59), Iqbal Qasim (44), Danish Kaneria (36) and Intikhab Alam (26) all in the top 10 wicket-takers at the ground.
Reverse swing seemed to play a big part with Imran Khan (51), Wasim Akram (41) and Waqar Younis (38) all finding success on the ground.
Interestingly, in the last Test played at the ground which took place between Sri Lanka and Pakistan, it was the seamers who dominated for both sides, taking the majority of the wickets while the batsmen were able to cash in as the pitch flattened out.
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The understanding before that clash was that Karachi was known to be a batting paradise, but before Sri Lanka’s visit to the capital in 2019/20, there hadn’t been a Test there for 10 years.
Bangladesh’s game there scheduled for April 2020, was cancelled due to a COVID-19 outbreak, so the only evidence to work with was that last game in December 2019.
The understanding from both Kagiso Rabada, Mark Boucher and Proteas captain Quinton de Kock, is that they expect reverse-swing to play its part. We will have to wait and see.
If Pakistan are smart, they will ask to prepare a spinning track, given the Proteas’ struggle with the turning ball in the subcontinent in the past.
The pitch for the second Test in Rawalpindi meanwhile is expected to be more seamer-friendly.
The Toss will be crucial:
There is a general consensus that the team that wins the toss must bat first and score big. This will only be lucrative, on Day 1, if the batsmen survive the initial new-ball onslaught. Patience will be key and the batters need to bide their time at the crease and see off the new ball. That will be their best chance to face the spinners when the pitch is still somewhat intact.
Is there a case for picking to bowl first? Maybe a slight one. Given the quality of the seamers in both camps, it could be a strategy to try and get quick early wickets with the new ball and try and skittle the opposition cheaply while there is still something in the pitch for seamers.
This way, if the bowling unit can bowl out the opposition before tea or during the second session, there is still a session to get a decent total on a slightly drier pitch for the team that’s batting second.
But that’s just if we play devil’s advocate. The safest option on a spinning pitch is to bat first, put on a massive total and take advantage of the deterioration of wicket by utilising your spinners.
Players to Watch:
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Quinton de Kock doesn’t have an outstanding record in Asia. He averages just 22.20 in 8 matches and needs to show that he is better than that average, especially after a poor series against Sri Lanka.
He could draw a little confidence from his record against Pakistan however, averaging 62.75 in four innings, though all of those matches were played on home soil.
There has been so much talk around De Kock batting at No 5, wicketkeeping and captaining the side, with many of the belief that he should relinquish one of those responsibilities to showcase his true ability with the bat, so De Kock will have undeniable incentive to prove doubters wrong.
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The return of Kagiso Rabada will be watched worldwide. He’s been absent from the Test arena for over a year, his last match coming against England in January 2020.
He highlighted the importance that reverse-swing will play in the Pakistan series, and being the best exponent of reverse-swing in the squad, Rabada will be key to South Africa’s chances.
He is currently on 197 wickets and will be chasing that 200-wicket milestone. He averages 34 at an economy of 3.04 in Asia but has yet to play in Pakistan, which tends to suit seamers more than Sri Lanka and India.
He can definitely take confidence from his record against the hosts, against whom he’s taken 17 wickets in 6 innings (3 matches).
Photo: Deryck Foster/BackpagePix
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