Former South African fast bowler Makhaya Ntini doesn’t think India’s record in South Africa in test cricket will change on the ongoing tour, even though the visitors have got a good team. India has won a test series everywhere around the world at some stage, but South Africa is the only country where they are yet to win a test series. India’s best performance in South Africa so far is a 1-1 draw that they had secured in 2010.
Makhaya Ntini played two-test series against India at home and ended up on the winning side on both occasions. He was not a part of the South African squad that was reduced to a 1-1 draw by India in the 3-match test series in 2010.
In a total of 10 test matches that Ntini played against India, home and away, during his career, he got 36 wickets at an average of a tad above 28, with one 5-wicket haul to his name.
The Proteas know the South African conditions better: Makhaya Ntini
According to Ntini, the conditions will play a huge role in the upcoming test series. The South African players are properly used to the conditions and they know how to go about their job on the surfaces at home, both with bat and ball. The Indian players, on the other hand, will take time to adjust.
While South Africa has got a couple of quality bowlers in their ranks, there have been question marks over their batting in recent times. But, Ntini is of the view that South Africa’s batting is well settled and versatile because they have got players who are different in nature and style.
They have got grafters in Deal Elgar and Temba Bavuma, who are the captain and the vice-captain of the side respectively, and they have also got the likes of Quinton de Kock, who can change the complexion of the game in a couple of sessions because of the way he bats.
Ntini, however, admitted that India’s bowling attack for this tour is of high quality as well. “India have a very good bowling attack this time around, but the Proteas know the South African conditions better,” Ntini was quoted as saying by cricket.co.za.
India’s bowlers had done a fabulous job on the previous tour of South Africa in 2018 as well, where they had grabbed 20 wickets in all three test matches, but because of disappointing batting performances, India had lost the series by 2-1.
