Indian batsmen face real test in South Africa

Virat Kohli, at the moment, is like an emperor looking to leave his imprint in every part of the world © PTI

By Prakash Govindasreenivasan

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If cricket was a mere video game, then the Indian batsmen have been enjoying life at the ‘semi-pro’ difficulty level which is bound to continue as India host the West Indies. However, the moment they set foot on South African soil, equations will change, escalating the difficulty two levels higher. Indian batsmen will face the real music only when they take on the famed South African pace battery in the three One-Day Internationals (ODIs).

Rohit Sharma

All his recent efforts, including his epic 209 in the seventh ODI against Australia, will be in vain if he fails to prove a point abroad. Rohit’s career so far has been riddled with inconsistencies. His numbers ever since he has been promoted to open the innings have only improved and South Africa would be a good place to perform well and stamp further authority at that position. Rohit has 49 runs from five innings in South Africa and would be more than eager to improve those ridiculous numbers.

This will be a good place to test his ability to keep his concentration going for a long period of time.  Often in the recent past, Rohit has been guilty of momentary lapse of concentration that leads him to lazily poke at a delivery away from his body. South African pacers will do enough home work on him and test him with deliveries that will marginally leave the right hander. If there is ever going to be a litmus test for Rohit’s abilities as India’s ODI openers, it could be this.

Shikhar Dhawan

Shikhar Dhawan’s biggest strength has been the confidence with which he has batted ever since his sensational Test debut in Mohali against Australia. Dhawan has the knack trying to unsettle the bowler by taking him on from the first over and South African pitches could prove that to be a tougher task. Dhawan may have to curb a bit of his natural instincts of walking down the wicket and driving the bowler through covers while facing the likes of Dale Steyn and Morne Morkel on bowling-friendly tracks. He may also have to keep a check on the amount of pull shots he looks to execute. From what has been seen of his batting so far, Dhawan has been a fearless puller of the short ball but the rise and bounce in South Africa could be a different ball game. Dhawan could be tested in that area as well. One good feature of his batting has been that Dhawan is never short of confidence, irrespective of his form with the willow. That positive approach in conditions much tougher than the ones that he has recently played on could be vital.

His performance with India A, especially the splendid 257, when they had toured South Africa a few months back, would do his confidence a lot of good.

Virat Kohli

Virat Kohli has been absolutely phenomenal and looks destined to scale every ODI record that there is on offer. With 16 tons already and just a few runs away from 5,000 ODI runs, there is hardly anything wrong that this man has done when seen with a bat in hand. South Africa tour will put his temperament under scrutiny. While his ability to score runs has been exceptional, the hot-headed attitude has gone a long way to put a question mark on his ability to sustain his form for a long period or even remain focused in an important run-chase. He has already proved the latter down by orchestrating some of the best run chases, including the one where India chased down 360 with seven overs to spare against Australia.

Kohli, at the moment, is like an emperor looking to leave his imprint in every part of the world. He already has two scores in excess of fifty and an average of 57.60 in ODIs in South Africa and will only look to stamp his authority all over again.

Suresh Raina

For this southpaw, time will be of utmost essence. India and Chennai Super Kings (CSK) skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni has protected him for a long period now and it is a good time to repay that faith on conditions where he isn’t very comfortable. If ‘Project Raina’ — which sees the team trying to groom him at No 4 for their World Cup defense in 2015 — needs to kick-off, this man has to play a lot of waiting games. His ability as an aggressor and a finisher while playing in the last few overs is beyond doubt, but can Raina build an innings in case of a top-order collapse, remains to be seen. If opportunity arrives, this could be the best place to prove that he is not just a mere flat track bully. It won’t be easy for the South Africans will take an easy way out against him with a barrage of short deliveries. For what it’s worth, South Africa tour could be Raina’s chance to get rid of his pet peeve.

Mahendra Singh Dhoni

MS Dhoni’s role in the Indian batting order will also be far more crucial than coming out in the final leg of the innings and smacking the bowlers away to up the ante. On green top wickets if the Indian top-order fails to apply themselves, Dhoni could find himself in the middle sooner than he would anticipate in case of a collapse. His captaincy and his prowess behind the stumps have improved tremendously and may not necessarily be under the scanner, but Dhoni the batsmen could be vital to this tour.

Dhoni can be likened to a music arranger of a humungous orchestra. He often prefers his top-order to negotiate any total or put up a daunting one themselves while he calls the shots from the pavilion or behind the stumps.

South Africa could throw his way, numerous opportunities to be a part of the entire arrangement and play some music himself.

(Prakash Govindasreenivasan is a reporter with CricketCountry. His Twitter handle is @PrakashG_89)