South African spinner Keshav Maharaj believes his team has the hunger and determination to end their long wait for a Test victory in India. They are preparing for a tough two-match series starting November 14 in Kolkata and Guwahati.
South Africa last won a Test in India 15 years ago. Maharaj said the current group is eager to change that record and show their growth in subcontinental conditions.
‘BEATING INDIA IN INDIA IS ONE OF OUR BIGGEST TESTS’
During an online media interaction, Maharaj acknowledged that touring India is one of the hardest challenges for any South African team.
“There’s a real enthusiasm and a wish within the camp to win the series in India. It’s probably one of the toughest tours, if not the toughest, on the Proteas calendar. We see it as a great opportunity to test ourselves and see how far we’ve come,” he said.
The left-arm spinner mentioned that South Africa has gradually learned to perform in various parts of the subcontinent. Now, they see India as the final frontier to conquer.
“We’ve started to perform well in other parts of Asia, and this is one challenge we truly want to embrace,” Maharaj noted.
NO SPIN-FEST EXPECTED LIKE PAKISTAN
Looking back on their recent series in Pakistan, where South Africa’s spinners were key in leveling the contest, Maharaj doesn’t expect the same kind of turning pitches in India this time.
“I don’t think the pitches here will be as spin-friendly as the ones we had in Pakistan. I expect good cricket wickets that will gradually break down as the game goes on; more like traditional Test surfaces,” he said.
He mentioned India’s recent home series against the West Indies, noting that the pitches provided balanced contests that went deep into the fourth and fifth days.
“From what we saw against the West Indies, the wickets were fair and promoted competitive cricket. I think the talk around Indian pitches is changing,” Maharaj added.
RESPECT FOR INDIA’S TRANSITION AND QUALITY
The 34-year-old commended the Indian team for handling their transition phase well while keeping their strength across formats.
“They’re a fantastic team and have improved significantly, especially after going through a transition. I believe they’ll keep preparing good cricket wickets,” he said.
In their last two Test tours to India in 2015 and 2019, South Africa struggled against the spin pairing of Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja, who took charge on extremely turning tracks.
CONFIDENCE AND MOMENTUM FROM PAKISTAN
However, Maharaj is optimistic, saying the Proteas will carry momentum from their drawn series in Pakistan into the upcoming match with India.
“We gained a lot from that second Test in Pakistan, where we showed that no matter the toss or conditions, we’ll fight until the end. There’s real precision in how we’ve approached this Test cycle,” he said.
With renewed confidence and lessons from their recent experiences in the subcontinent, South Africa hopes to write a new chapter when they face India in what promises to be an exciting contest.
