Ind-SA: series win within India's grasp
New Delhi: It has been an incredible year for Team India and skipper MS Dhoni. The Durban win earlier this week ensured that India retained its position as the No. 1 Test team and that it ends 2010 unbeaten in a Test series.In fact, Dhoni's run as skipper has been an impressive one with the Indian team remaining unbeaten in a record nine consecutive series, something that started with the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in 2008
Despite his poor luck with the toss in 2010 where he lost 12 of the 13, Team India and the skipper have regularly seized the moments to show just why they deserve to be ranked at the top. And nothing would make it bigger than by winning the Test series against South Africa with the final Test starting in Cape Town on Sunday.
Despite all the debate about the kind of wickets prepared, the use of the Umpire Decision Review System or in this series the lack of it, Graeme Smith's frequent voicing of his doubts of India's top notch position, and even an allegation that umpire Steve Davis was drunk, Team India have come out trumps.
The turnaround in Durban, which has not been a happy hunting ground in the past, after the big loss in the first Test in Johannesburg is a testimony to the players' mettle. The win has put South Africa in more than just a spot of bother. Having frequently chocked at the bigger stage over the two decades of their return to the international fold, the South Africans are in danger of losing the series if they cannot wrest back the initiative on day one itself.
The toss is again expected to play an important role in Cape Town. While the pitch is said to provide more assistance to the batsmen, early moisture could prove to a handful for the batsmen at the top of the order.
Even though Virender Sehwag has already been ruled out of the ensuing ODI series because of his nagging shoulder injury, he should be fit enough to see India through at the top in the final Test. A solid start will be required if India lose the toss again and are put into bat to avoid the capitulation one saw in Johannesburg.
India's bowlers too will be looking at the wicket closely and a Durban encore will be widely appreciated. Zaheer Khan's return in the second Test, having missed the first due to an injury, was just the shot in the arm the team needed. He set the agenda early on and all the other bowlers chipped in nicely.
S Sreesanth has always provided for a picture postcard moment in South Africa. In the previous series, it was his dance that captured the imagination after he had hoicked Andre Nel for a six. And in this series his peach of a delivery to get rid of Jacques Kallis was probably his best delivery ever. Another moment surely awaits the fans in Cape Town.
Despite all the debate about the kind of wickets prepared, the use of the Umpire Decision Review System or in this series the lack of it, Graeme Smith's frequent voicing of his doubts of India's top notch position, and even an allegation that umpire Steve Davis was drunk, Team India have come out trumps.
The turnaround in Durban, which has not been a happy hunting ground in the past, after the big loss in the first Test in Johannesburg is a testimony to the players' mettle. The win has put South Africa in more than just a spot of bother. Having frequently chocked at the bigger stage over the two decades of their return to the international fold, the South Africans are in danger of losing the series if they cannot wrest back the initiative on day one itself.
The toss is again expected to play an important role in Cape Town. While the pitch is said to provide more assistance to the batsmen, early moisture could prove to a handful for the batsmen at the top of the order.
Even though Virender Sehwag has already been ruled out of the ensuing ODI series because of his nagging shoulder injury, he should be fit enough to see India through at the top in the final Test. A solid start will be required if India lose the toss again and are put into bat to avoid the capitulation one saw in Johannesburg.
India's bowlers too will be looking at the wicket closely and a Durban encore will be widely appreciated. Zaheer Khan's return in the second Test, having missed the first due to an injury, was just the shot in the arm the team needed. He set the agenda early on and all the other bowlers chipped in nicely.
S Sreesanth has always provided for a picture postcard moment in South Africa. In the previous series, it was his dance that captured the imagination after he had hoicked Andre Nel for a six. And in this series his peach of a delivery to get rid of Jacques Kallis was probably his best delivery ever. Another moment surely awaits the fans in Cape Town.
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