Former head coach of the Indian cricket team, Ravi Shastri, recently expressed his views on the current Test series between India and South Africa. On Tuesday, he mentioned that the Rohit Sharma-led Indian team stands a strong chance of securing their first-ever Test series win in South Africa, attributing this advantage partly to the absence of a key South African player, Vernon Philander.
Shastri highlighted Philander's exceptional track record against India, noting his impressive performance in past Test matches. Philander, a former fast bowler for the Proteas, had an outstanding record in the five home Test matches he played against India, taking 25 wickets at an impressive average of 18. Shastri, who was the head coach of the Indian team during their 2018 tour of South Africa, recalled the series where Philander was a standout performer, claiming 15 wickets and playing a pivotal role in India's 1-2 series defeat.
"This is India's best chance, you know why? Because this bloke is not playing," Shastri said on Star Sports.
"We would have beaten South Africa at least twice when I came here but for this fellow. We've seen Rabada's record, and Ngidi's record. Take a look at his record as well against India. He always gets the important wickets when we don't want one to fall," the former India coach added.
The first Test of the current series, held at SuperSport Park in Centurion, saw South Africa winning the toss and choosing to field first. The start of the match was delayed by 30 minutes due to damp patches on the pitch, which had been under covers since Sunday following significant rainfall.
In their bowling strategy, South Africa opted for an all-seam attack and introduced two debutants to the Test arena - batsman David Bedingham and left-arm fast bowler Nandre Burger. This decision reflects South Africa's approach to leverage their pace attack, given the conditions and the composition of their team.
Shastri's observations about Philander's absence and its potential impact on the series outcome adds an interesting perspective to the ongoing contest between the two cricketing powerhouses, with India looking to capitalize on this opportunity to make history on South African soil.
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