5 Reasons why India can make it 3-0 at Delhi

5 Reasons why India can make it 3-0 at Delhi: The Indian team is leading the Test series 2-0 after three matches and as the focus shifts to the national capital South African team will be hope to do well but neither the trend of the series nor the pitch seems to be going their way. With the form Virat Kohli’s team has been in, the visitors have a remote chance of winning the match and India in all likelihood is set to make it 3-0 at the Firoz Shah Kotla.

Here are the 5 Reasons why India can make it 3-0 at Delhi:

1. Spin department:

When a touring team comes to India, it’s no surprise that they will be greeted with the spin medicine. So has been the case this time around. With the spin troika of R Ashwin, R Jadeja and A Mishra picking up 47 of the 50 Protea wickets that have fallen so far in the series, it’s very clear that they hold the baton for the team’s overall success.

Ravichandran Ashwin just became the highest wicket taker in Tests this year which just goes on to show how big a threat he poses to the opposition batsmen, especially in home conditions. Ravindra Jadeja, on the other hand, has had a dream comeback so far. He was adjudged the Man of the Match in the first Test for displaying all round skills. His in-form performances certainly add to the team’s strengths. The third tweaker, Amit Mishra who is a veteran of sorts now is always around the corner and ready to provide a breakthrough whenever a partnership seems to build on.

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2. Inexperienced squad:

Only four players from the South African unit that last toured India, feature in this squad. Their captain Hashim Amla, ODI skipper AB de Villiers and their pace duo of Dale Steyn and Morne Morkel are the only ones remaining from the squad that drew the test series back in 2010.

Subcontinent pitches are no happy dreams for the touring batsmen. It often turns into a nightmare rather. Similar has been the case for this new looking South African batting line up. No batsman has really been able to adjust and apply themselves on the turning pitches. After all coming from South Africa where the batsmen are used to playing the swinging and bouncing ball, it’s no easy task to come and face spin right away with close-in fielders surrounding you.

The spinners too haven’t been as effective as their counterparts have been in utilising the friendly conditions suited to them. Simon Harmer has been impressive in bits but overall has lacked the consistency. While Imran Tahir hasn’t been able to win his skipper’s confidence to have him bowl early into an innings. It was almost as if he was under-bowled at times.

3. Top order woes:

It’s not that the Proteas lack batting power when you see the kind of batsmen they have in their ranks. It’s just that they haven’t performed as well as they were expected to, especially after winning the T20I and ODI series.

South Africa’s mainstay batsmen which include Amla, de Villiers, du Plessis and Duminy all have failed to live up to their stature.

As it has been rightly noticed by many experts, the South African batsmen have been accused of playing the pitch more than the ball. This is where the mental strength comes into the picture. Too many instances have been witnessed where a batsman got out pre-meditating based on how the ball might react rather than focusing on the ball itself. There were numerous occasions of batsmen getting out bowled or LBW while shouldering arms to harmless straight deliveries which were a result of an assumption that the ball will spin.

4. Injury worries:

Coming into the Test series, South Africa lost experienced players like Duminy and Morkel to injuries. While they have got back the services of those two, they have lost Steyn and Philander. Philander injured his ankle in a freak incident during practice. Vernon was one pacer who troubled the Indian batters and his loss certainly hampers their bowling attack.

Steyn suffered a groin injury during the first Test which ruled him out of the rest of the series. He was a major stalwart during their last visit to India. His vicious spells with a great display of reverse swing saw him pick up a 10-wicket haul in Nagpur in 2010. There’s no doubt he’s a proven match-winner and his absence would definitely be a big dent in South Africa’s last drive for pride.

5. History at Feroz Shah Kotla:

Feroz Shah Kotla has been a happy hunting ground for India. They have won 9 out of the last 10 Tests played at the venue. They last lost a test there in 1987 against the West Indies.

The Delhi ground is known to produce slow turners with the odd ball keeping low. With the Indian team management very clear with what they want, it shouldn’t be a surprise if another rank turner comes up.

Also, South Africa has never played a Test in the Kotla which will add yet another mystery for them. It isn’t going to be easy for them as the challenge has been dictated well enough by home side through their crystal clear strategies so far.

Written by Jishnu Bhattacharyya