India’s Test squad in South Africa: Does it have the firepower to humble the hosts?

India will start 2018 with one of the toughest challenges in the international circuit as they will take on South Africa in an away series featuring three Tests, six one-day internationals (ODIs) and as many T20 Internationals.

The upcoming tour under the captaincy of the just married Virat Kohli will be India’s seventh since the Proteas made their return to cricket from the Apartheid ban in 1991 and the visitors will be looking for their first-ever series victory down south, be it in the Tests or the limited-over format. India’s best Test performance in South Africa has been a 1-1 draw in 2013-14. In 2006-07, India had taken a lead in the Test series but eventually lost the series 1-2.

Can Kohli and his men rewrite history this time? To weigh India’s chances to return as a happier lot from SA this time, it is important to analyse the players who have been picked in the squad for the three-Test series starting January 5 in Cape Town.

Virat Kohli (C):

The 29-year-old skipper had a phenomenal 2017 and even though he did not participate in the ODI and T20 series versus the Sri Lankans recently, it won’t mean that he would lose touch with his magical touch.

The captain will be undoubtedly under added pressure since he is also the prime batsman of his side but given his reputation as a solid performer, Kohli could finish the tour better than many of his high-profile predecessors who toured SA in the past. Kohli’s average against SA although is lower (47.20) than his overall (53.65), but his average against the Proteas in their den is much higher at 68 (272 runs in 2 games).

His highest score of 119 against SA came in Johannesburg in the 2013 tour and he had backed it with a 96 in the second innings. If Kohli can lead from the front as he had done in the Australia series in 2014, then that would have do wonders to his team’s morale.

Ajinkya Rahane (vice-captain):

Ajinkya Rahane did not have a great 2017 but that doesn’t make him dispensable in a tour of South Africa. Often seen as a successor to VVS Laxman, Rahane’s average versus SA is better (59.37) than that of Kohli and the Indian fans will hope him to match the skipper’s good run in the upcoming series.

In South Africa, however, Rahane’s average (69.66) is as high as Kohli’s though he is yet to score an away century versus the Proteas. His highest score in South Africa is 96 scored in Durban in 2013-14 series though it could not prevent his side from facing a 10-wicket hammering. This time, Rahane will have a big role to play if India aim to do well in South Africa.

Rohit Sharma:

Rohit Sharma had an unbelievable series against Sri Lanka recently as he went on hit tons in all three formats including a double hundred in an ODI and talks are already on as him being a challenge to Kohli’s batting prowess.

Sharma, however, is yet to prove his worth as a Test batsman despite slamming two tons in his first two Test innings. The third of his three Test centuries came only in the recent series against the Lankans which says that Sharma hasn’t been as smooth with his bat in the longest format.

Against SA, Sharma averages less than 9 in 4 matches with the highest score being 25. In SA, his Test average is 11.25 and the man must make use of his current batting form to help India rewrite those figures.

Shikhar Dhawan:

The only left-hander in India’s top order, Dhawan had disappointed his fans in Tests after making a grand entry in the longest format in 2013 by slamming a 187 in the debut game versus Australia. But he has made it up over the past few months, scoring some consistent runs and the management will be hoping that he stays fit and delivers when it matters.

India will require some good show from its openers and being a senior man in the job, Dhawan will be key. Talking about Dhawan’s average against SA, it is ordinary at the moment at 22.60 with no centuries or fifties. In SA, he does even worse, averaging just 19 in 2 games.