By the time South Africa came to India for their next visit, they had
been playing international cricket the world over for five years and had
become strong enough to defeat Pakistan and England and had proved
capable of sharing two rubbers with Australia. India on the other hand
had just returned from a dismal tour of England but as usual, their one
crumb of comfort was that they would be hosting the South Africans. For,
India's formidable home record was still intact. They were still to lose
a home series after ten years.
The South Africans, in true professional fashion, were reported to have
gathered information on India's strengths and weaknesses. Their
methodical coach Bob Woolmer announced on arrival that the team members
were mentally and physically strong to adapt and face any challenge. His
confidence seemed to be justified for South Africa had yet to lose a
rubber after their return to the international fold.
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South Africa landed here for their first Test series in India, knowing
what to expect. Their pre-tour apprehensions centered around tackling
the home team on turning tracks. The fears were proved right in the
Tests at Ahmedabad and Kanpur, but there was one exception the Eden
Gardens pitch at Calcutta. It reminded the South African paceman of
conditions back home and the result was a comprehensive defeat for the
home team. But at the two other venues, India registered handsome
victories to take the series. The designer tracks became a major talking
point during the tour but skipper Sachin Tendulkar and coach Madan Lal
justified the strategy of preparing tracks to suit their own spinners by
the simple argument that every team around the world had tailor made
conditions to suit their own strengths.
The South Africans, in true professional fashion, were reported to have
gathered information on India's strengths and weaknesses. Their
methodical coach Bob Woolmer announced on arrival that the team members
were mentally and physically strong to adapt and face any challenge. His
confidence seemed to be justified for South Africa had yet to lose a
rubber after their return to the international fold.
Still, it must have been a new and unnerving experience for the South
Africans, who have constantly built their attack around pace, to see the
ball turn considerably in the pre lunch session on the opening day of a
Test. Hansie Cronje, never the most diplomatic of captains, made some
complaints about the quality of the wickets which did not go down well.
But that was about all he could do. In any event, his case lost its
weight when the South Africans succumbed meekly to Javagal Srinath and
not a spin bowler while losing the first Test at Ahmedabad.
The tall Indian spearhead was at his most devastating in taking six for
21 off just 11.5 overs and bowling out the South Africans for 105. Till
then it had been anybody's game. The Indians, dismissed for 223 hit back
to restrict South Africa to 244. The Indians were again all out for 190
in the second innings but even the modest target of 170 proved too much
for the visitors who caved in before the gale that was Srinath.
With Adams and Symcox taking eight wickets between themselves for the
match, one did not have to work out just how much more damage the Indian
trio of Kumble, Joshi and Hirwani would cause. They shared eight wickets
the first time around and in the second, even as Srinath was scything
through the South African rank and file, Kumble and Joshi shared the
remaining four wickets.
A week later, however the South Africans had drawn level - and with an
emphatic 329-run win at that. Everything went right for them from the
moment Gary Kirsten (102) and Andrew Hudson (146) shared an opening
stand of 236. The steady bowling of Venkatesh Prasad was the one solace
for India. The lanky medium pacer finished with six for 104 off 35
overs. India were in deep trouble having lost seven wickets for 161 but
Azharuddin (109) and Kumble (88) turned the innings around, in the
process erasing a 31-year-old eighth wicket record. The two added 161
runs, surpassing the 143 runs that Farokh Engineer and Bapu Nadkarni had
put on against New Zealand at Madras in 1965. The Indians ultimately got
to 329 but the South Africans swiftly built upon the 99-run lead.
Kirsten (133) got his second century of the match while Daryll Cullinan
(153 not out) rubbed salt into the Indians' wounds. A declaration at 367
for three set India a victory target of 467. This was of course purely
academic as debutant Lance Klusener shot out the Indians for 137 with a
haul of eight for 64 off 21.3 overs.
The teams came to Green Park for the decider and the state of the pitch
is best illustrated by the fact that Adams took six for 55 on the first
day as India were all out for 237 after being 160 for two. Naturally
South Africa could fare only worse. Kumble and off spinner Aashish
Kapoor picked up six wickets and Srinath mowed down the middle order.
South Africa were restricted to 177 and the situation only required for
the home team to build on their 60-run lead. But led by Azharuddin's
unbeaten 163, the home team did much more than that and were able to
declare their second innings at 400 for seven. A target of 461 was
always going to be an academic exercise and with Srinath and Prasad
making the initial breakthrough and with Joshi cutting through the
middle order, South Africa could get no more than 180 leaving the
Indians victors by the huge margin of 280 runs. It was certainly a
feather in Tendulkar's cap in his first full Test series as captain. For
good measure, India also won the Titan Cup one day tri series (the third
team was Australia) defeating South Africa in the final.
For the South Africans it was a bitter pill to swallow and they did not
take it very well. Cronje and Woolmer proved to be bad losers and made
any number of uncharitable comments about the general facilities, the
inadequate dressing rooms, the pitches and the umpiring. They might have
had some cause for complaint, but overall, there was no denying the
superiority of the Indians, who kept their formidable home record
intact.