Steve Waugh’s all-conquering men versus Virat Kohli’s 2021 team? Sounds illusionary but former South Africa captain and supremo of their cricket board Dr Ali Bacher will keep the Australians ahead in such a scenario.
Nevertheless, Bacher reckons Virat Kohli’s side to be the “best all-round Indian team” to have toured their country. On Thursday India finished conquering Centurion, South Africa’s fortress, handing them their third defeat in 27 Tests to take a 1-0 lead.
“Before the series started I had favoured India. Centurion is a place close to 5000 feet above sea level. The pitch generally favours quick bowlers with a lot of bounce. The current India team is the best all-round India team I have seen in the last 30 years. I repeat all-round,” Bacher told The Telegraph from Johannesburg on Friday.
“They have a good pace attack, solid batsmen and crafty spinners backed by a strong captain in Virat Kohli. They have beaten England at home and away, Australia in Australia.
“The current South African team has a good pace attack. But they bowled too wide outside the off stump on the opening day. Our problem is our batting which is not consistent enough. We don’t have the likes of AB de Villiers, Jacques Kallis, Graeme Smith and Faf du Plessis.
“There was a time when Shaun Pollock, who has two Test centuries, batted at No.9, Mark Boucher at No.8 and Lance Klusener at No. 7. Today we have a long tail and that’s the problem,” he explained.
“This is the first time I’ve seen that India has a very good set of fast bowlers. Down the years they have had the odd pacer but never three, four or five at the same time... That’s a big difference... All are genuinely quick with the ability to run through any side.
“Jasprit Bumrah is sensational. He doesn’t have a long run up, he gains pace and momentum in the last few yards before he approaches the wickets. Just too good and intimidating.”
Bacher fears the home team will suffer the same fate when they go to the Wanderers for the second Test. “We are now going into the Wanderers where I have played my whole life. Again this is close to 6000 feet above sea level. The pitch always has bounce and genuine quicks will benefit.
“In January, it often rains in Johannesburg where the clouds are low... So not only will there be bounce, it will also afford swing. I am worried about South Africa’s chances in the second Test as well.
“The conditions will definitely favour the Indians hugely. It will not be good for South Africa... My money unfortunately at the moment is on India winning the series.”
Does this Indian team be regarded as the strongest to have visited South Africa?
“Look in the late 90s and early part of this century, Waugh’s Australian side was a formidable outfit. They had Glenn McGrath, one of the best fast bowlers of all time and Shane Warne, probably the best leg spinner of all time. They had a gutsy and remarkable cricketer in Waugh as leader, Ricky Ponting, another world class batsman... That was a pretty unbeatable team.
“Would your current Indian team be able to beat Waugh’s men? I wouldn’t put money on it... But Kohli’s side is a very good all-round side.”
Kohli’s form doesn’t worry him. “Virat has played so long... It would be unique for any batsman in the world to play for 10 years at a stretch and not at some point have a lean trot. It is unheard of. He will come good at some point since he remains a world class batsman.”
