We as a team are very resilient and we always make a comeback: Faf du Plessis

Coming into the 3-match Test series in India, all the talks in the South African camp were about the nature of pitches that the hosts will dish out. Those apprehensions were in line with the scars of that tumultuous 2015 tour. However, the pitch in the first Test was a stark contrast from the ones that the Proteas encountered, even forcing Faf du Plessis to term the track as “good”.

However, the South African skipper feels that the pitch in Pune will offer more spin that the one in Vizag, The second Test between India and South Africa will start in Pune on 10th October. Ironically, Pune remains the only ground where India has dropped a home Test (vs Australia, 2017) in the past ten series, and the visitors will hope it once again proves to be the bogey ground for the hosts.

“I know Indian conditions quite well, the turf is a little bit redder here and in terms of that, it is generally more spinning condition. So, expecting the ball to spin more than the first Test,” Faf du Plessis told reporters. “Extremely hot conditions, we spent a lot of time in the field. And the thinking is to be fresh as I said in a previous Test match that there is not enough time to find your answers in the nets now,” Du Plessis said.

Faf du Plessis expresses his desire of winning the toss

The moment Faf du Plessis lost the toss in Vizag, one could see the disappointment on his face, and the skipper did not mince words while letting out his desire to start ahead of India in the Test. “I think it is obvious in saying that in every Test match we would like to start well. Even start a Test match ahead of India that would be nice. We as a team are very resilient and we always make a comeback,” Faf du Plessis said.

Winning the toss and batting first does not necessarily warrant success in India, like Alastair Cook’s team, found out in 2016. Despite winning four out of five tosses, England proceeded to lose three of the four games; two of them (in Mumbai & Chennai) by an innings.

The three-Test matches are off-course a part of the ICC Test championship. Du Plessis also weighed in on the debate surrounding the fallacy of the points system. “It is complicated. Obviously the shorter the Test series the more points you get. In two Tests you get 120 points and in the five-match series, you have to win 5-0 to get 120 points which is a bit harder. I have noticed that in this thing you always find holes and flaws in the systems, it is never gonna be a perfect system.”

As far as points table in the championship is concerned, India are topping the charts with 160 points courtesy of three victories on the trot. Previously, the Virat Kohli-led unit defeat the West Indies 2-0.

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