Ravi Shastri feels India's batting will be the major point of focus in South Africa

The Indian team had a staggering run in the calendar year relieving their dominance in every format of the game. But the real test and challenge await them when they will travel to South Africa next year for a long tour. India head coach Ravi Shastri feels that the team’s batting would be the major point of focus if this team led by captain Virat Kohli want to encrypt their names in the history of Indian cricket.

Team India was undefeated in the longest format of the game in 2017 as they first conquered Australia 2-1 and then beat the Lankans twice in the year including the whitewash in their own backyard. The No.1 Test team looks pretty balanced. India are yet to win a Test series in South Africa and would have this piece of fact in their minds playing the Proteas next year.

The bowling attack is a not a thing to worry

Head coach Shastri believes that the Indian bowling attack seems to be in fine touch heading into the tour. He has confidence in his fast bowlers to take twenty wickets in overseas tours to South Africa, England and Australia. He also feels that the bench strength is the real strength of this team and mentioned that these boys have the ideal potential that it takes to win series while playing in alien conditions.

“India have never won a series in South Africa. They have never won in Australia. This team has the opportunity and I believe have got the goods to compete really well in these two countries because you have got bench strength in your bowling attack, in your pace bowling attack, you have got an allrounder in the house in Hardik [Pandya] and what you need overseas is 20 wickets. You can get any number of runs but if you don’t take 20 wickets, you can’t win. This team has that, so I think the boys know it and they are fully aware of what they are capable of. If they play to potential, they will pull it off,” said Shastri as quoted by TOI.

The former Indian cricketer stated that the bowling attacks of both India and the Proteas at the moment are pretty equipped. The real battle will be between batters from both the teams when they meet in the opening Test match on January 5, 2018. Shastri mentioned the fact that the Indian batters need to perform as per their potentials and score big runs on the board which will help the bowlers maintain their consistency.

“I think it will be about Indian batting v South African batting. Both sides have very good bowling attacks. I think our bowlers will do a pretty good job, [but] it will boil down to how our batsmen fare. If our batsmen stand up and put the runs on the board you could have a very competitive and entertaining series,” he added.