India's turnado years are over, or at least that's what South Africa believe as they seek to win their first Test in the country in 15 years and maybe even a first series in 25. Unlike on their tours in 2015, when surfaces crumbled at the sight of a cricket ball, or 2019, when they crumbled at the same, South Africa expect the contest to be more balanced as India redefine home advantage in the wake of last year's 3-0 home defeat to New Zealand.
"I don't think it will be as spin-friendly as we experienced in Pakistan," Keshav Maharaj, South Africa's first-choice left-arm spinner said from Kolkata. "I think it will be good wickets that deteriorate as the game goes on. If you watched a bit of the West Indies series, it went to day four and five. The narrative is changing in terms of getting wickets. You want to give yourself the best chance when you're in home conditions, so maybe it's felt that let's play on good cricket wickets and let the game deteriorate as it goes on."
As ESPNcricinfo had reported earlier, reverse swing is anticipated at the Eden Gardens and South Africa's seamers will be pleased to hear that. The West Indies series serves as empirical evidence after the Delhi Test went to a fifth day even though India scored over 500 in their first innings and West Indies close to 400 in their second.
So, it's South Africa's batters who will be happiest, with the ghosts of the last two series certain to re-emerge. In 2015, South Africa, then No.1 in the world and on a nine-year unbeaten run away from home, were bowled out for under 200 all but once in four Tests and the once was a rained-out draw. The Nagpur pitch, which hosted the third Test where India sealed the series, was rated poor. In 2019, South Africa, on the cusp of a major internal meltdown, fared slightly better and topped 400 once but still lost 3-0.
Now, South Africa are back at No.1, they have won (Bangladesh 2024) and shared a series (Pakistan 2025) in other parts of the subcontinent, and they feel more equipped to deal with spin-friendly conditions especially when it comes to batting. "The line-up has come a long way," Maharaj said. "Our hundreds are shared amongst each other, which is important because at any given time, someone stands up and really takes that responsibility. Sometimes a 60 in the sub is worth 150 in other conditions. Taking that responsibility is something that they've really embraced and it's starting to show from a results point of view."
In Pakistan, only Tony de Zorzi scored a century but there were fifties from Ryan Rickelton, Tristan Stubbs, Dewald Brevis and even Kagiso Rabada. In Bangladesh, de Zorzi, Stubbs, Wiaan Mulder and Kyle Verreynne all raised their bats to three figures. All those players are on this tour and though they will play Tests in India for the first time (apart from Rabada), they understand what it takes to be successful in less familiar conditions.
They have also shown an ability to adapt to changing situations: from being on the ropes at home against Sri Lanka and Pakistan last year to sweeping the summer and qualifying for the WTC final and then fighting back against Australia at Lord's to win the mace. South Africa want to build on that success in a new cycle, which includes tougher assignments than previous one and with this India series, what they see as the toughest.
"There's a real hunger and desire to beat India in India. It's probably one of the toughest tours, if not the toughest tour on the Proteas calendar through various generations and some people were fortunate enough to cross the hurdle," Maharaj said. "As a unit, we feel like it's one of our biggest tests. And it will be a wonderful opportunity to grade ourselves, to see how far we've come. Slowly but surely, we started to conquer other parts of the subcontinent, and I feel like this is one assignment that we really, really want to take."
South Africa's last Test win in India came in Nagpur in 2010 and their only Test series victory was in the year 2000. They have won five out of 19 Tests in India and none of their last seven matches there.