CHENNAI:“Easily #TeamIndia’s best ever tour of South Africa by a country mile”, read part of a tweet that was posted by Ravi Shastri with a photograph of the team.A member of the first international cricket team to play in South Africa after the apartheid era, India’s chief coach knows how tough the terrain is for visiting teams.The all-rounder, the one who had put the finishing touches on India’s first ODI win in the country on that tour of 1992-93 (Test & ODI series lost), had been witness to a series of setbacks in either format over the years since.
That’s why the 5-1 verdict in one of the two series wins after missing the plot in the Tests is significant. India’s first-ever bilateral triumph in South Africa, snatching the No 1 spot in ODI rankings from a team which has at least one series win in all formats in India, it was also one of the most stunning scorelines in two-nation 50-over engagements featuring top teams in recent times.Curiously, a factor causing such joy across the nation also happens to be the reason why this might amount to little, unless it is followed up by introspection and better planning.
The wins and landmarks are soothing because they come after two defeats that ended hopes of another first in South Africa.Instead of cracking under the pressure that those losses entailed, outplaying the hosts in the ODIs and winning the T20I series was job well done.
This is where the ‘what could have been’ story begins, one that leaves a lasting impression on the complete assessment of the real gains of India’s long tour. The numerical significance of later achievements apart, this was also the tale of an opportunity lost in the first few weeks.It was India’s best chance to record a first Test series win in South Africa, which didn’t materialise due to reasons which include not arriving well in advance for a better feel of the conditions, and strange selection calls.This is a lingering regret after the thumping ODI triumph against an opposition not in the best of health in terms of resources, for different reasons.
Conditions were testing at the best of times and the Indian fast bowlers created openings. The first two Tests had situations when the balance of the game could have titled either way. It didn’t, because the South Africans just about got more runs at key junctures, whereas Indians were caught wanting on familiarity with surroundings. Selections added to it. These were partly responsible in negating the good job of the quicks, whose performance as a unit was India’s biggest gain.
There is a reason behind why teams spend time in simulated or actual conditions before big trips. Australia have been in South Africa for two weeks for a Test series that is scheduled to start on March 1. England trained on spinning pitches at the ICC’s facilities in Dubai before winning in India in 2012-13. Way back in 2003-04, New Zealand created turners on centre pitches with amplifiers in empty stands blaring the crowd noise they would face in Indian venues.It’s not the team’s fault. The realisation that adequate preparation is a prerequisite for success in a format that tests players over five days is missing in the BCCI.
As president of Karnataka State Cricket Association, Anil Kumble had brought this up after the 4-0 defeat in England in 2011. With him, this idea too seems to have gone out of the system. It’s been years that India stopped playing warm-up fixtures with first-class status. The results have usually been adverse and followed by talks that something will be done next time.
That’s why despite this high there is a sense of emptiness in the final evaluation. In terms of numbers, it reads “India 8 South Africa 4”, but this conceals the fact that the hosts clinched in minimum attempts what is still regarded the real deal.
Celebrating success afterwards against a depleted side, it might help if lessons from failures are used to better results in away tests that are now lined up for India. If it is done, chances are good that there will be more reasons to hail future tours instead of looking for adjectives glorifying one half and forgetting the other.
atreyo@newindianexpress.com