Proteas remain a work in progress as crunch India series looms

South Africa’s series-tying win in Rawalpindi last week serves as a warning to India that simply preparing dry, spin-friendly pitches won’t necessarily serve them well in the two Tests there next month.

Pakistan tried that ploy, and it failed, with the Proteas spin trio — Simon Harmer, Keshav Maharaj and Senuran Muthusamy — sharing 33 wickets between them across the series, and inspiring one of South Africa’s finest away wins.

The Proteas demonstrated that on turning tracks they have the bowling weaponry to cause even India’s much-vaunted batting line-up problems.

In the last decade, India, like the other nations, have produced conditions to suit not only their strengths, but to make the opposing team uncomfortable.

In 2015 when South Africa played four Tests there, Mohali — traditionally a venue where seam bowlers thrived — turned square on day one; and Nagpur was issued with a warning after the match there finished in three days.

Of the 40 wickets that fell, 33 were taken by spinners.

Pause for thought

But India were victims of their own circumstances last year, when they were whitewashed at home by New Zealand, a series defeat that will be at the back of their minds, and — along with South Africa’s success in Pakistan — give them pause for thought.

For one, their own seam bowling options are some of the best in the sport, even when they have chosen to rest their ace Jasprit Bumrah.

Mohammad Siraj and Prasidh Krishna starred in that series-tying victory at The Oval against England, and — while the Proteas shouldn’t expect green seamers in Kolkata and Guwahati, surfaces that are better balanced in terms of wear and tear — should come as no surprise.

India has one major advantage over South Africa, as they are the better batting unit.

Shubman Gill, after his sensational series in England, ushered in a new era for Indian batting, along with Risabh Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal.

Experienced heads like KL Rahul and Ravi Jadeja continue to make an impact, and the Proteas will be aware that the kind of batting implosions they could take advantage of against Pakistan, won’t happen against their sub-continent neighbours.

Plenty of room to improve

Stand-in Proteas captain Aiden Markram made it clear after the victory in Rawalpindi that there was still plenty of room for improvement.

Fielding is one area that needs to be cleaned up. The Proteas dropped three catches on the first day in Lahore, and four in Rawalpindi.

If they repeat those performances against Gill and Co, those extra opportunities will be fatal.

“The guys will be ‘burned’ a bit by that, because as a South African side, [fielding] is something we pride ourselves on, and it wasn’t up to standard in this series,” said Markram.

Batting is the other area where the Proteas will need to be better in India.

Of the top six Ryan Rickelton and Tony de Zorzi were the best performers, but besides the latter, no one made a hundred for South Africa.

A work in progress

“We are a work in progress as a team, especially in conditions like this,” Markram explained.

“Some of us batters get in and get out, and then we’re sitting on the side watching, and realise it doesn’t actually look as bad as it felt when we were in the middle.”

The first Test starts in Kolkata on November 14.

Before then India A and South Africa A play each other in two four-day matches in Bangalore in the first week of November.

Temba Bavuma will feature in the second match to get in some match time — having not played since the One-Day series in England, where he injured his calf.

The Indian selectors have also included Rahul, Siraj and Pant for that fixture.