5 things India need to do to counter the fearsome South African bowling attack

Indian Batsmen will have their task cut out against Steyn & Co

The first leg of India’s highly anticipated home series against South Africa is over and the visitors have set the record straight by clinching the 3-match T20I series 2-0. With the shortest format of the game already out of the equation, Team India will need to bounce back in the forthcoming ODI series and the Test series that follows.

One of the key concerns that have surfaced for the Indians in whatever cricket that has been played so far is, how most batsmen have struggled to negotiate the Proteas bowling attack, particularly the pacers.

In the 1st game, for instance, the other batsmen failed to capitalize on the fantastic platform provided by Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli and ended up one run short of 200. In the 2^nd T20I, the Indian innings folded up for a mere 92 with the batsmen not finding answers to the questions posed by the likes of Rabada, Abbott, Tahir & Albie Morkel. The worst part for India is the fact that they will have the added firepower of Steyn and Morkel to contend with in the next two phases of the tour.

However, there is no problem that does not have a solution and this is what Team India will have to believe in if they want to hit back at the South Africans.

Here are 5 things India must do to tackle the fearsome South Africa bowling attack:

1. Try to keep wickets intact

The Proteas bowlers are bound to be fired up on the back of the successful T20I series and they will dish out their absolute best at India’s batsmen. The key here is to be patient and not give wickets away too easily. The openers, Dhawan and Sharma, have a big role to play in this regard as they will be facing the duo of Steyn & Morkel first up.

A good start to the innings will make the job much easier for the batsmen to follow. In a situation where Team India loses one or both the openers cheaply, the following batsmen must strive to ensure minimal damage post that. Keeping wickets in hand will help frustrate the visitors’ bowling attack and force them to make mistakes which the batsmen can capitalize on.

2. Get the batting order right

Team India’s batting order has been a point of debate for a number of years and this prevails in the current scene as well. Although Shikhar Dhawan, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli seemed to have cemented their spots as the top 3 in ODIs, the trouble has always been the No. 4 spot.

Suresh Raina may have got more chances at this number, but the team think-tank has considered other options from time to time including skipper Dhoni, Ambati Rayudu and Ajinkya Rahane. It is about time that a decision is made on who the best man for the job is and ensure he is given enough time to prove himself.

3. Play the Spinners Well

The one thing that stands out in the South African bowling attack this time around is the presence of quality spinners, especially someone like Imran Tahir. JP Duminy has also been doing a more than decent job for the Proteas with the ball.

India’s batsmen need to be careful in tackling the spinners as they can ill afford to be over-aggressive and lose wickets in the process. The strategy must be to rotate the strike regularly and punish anything loose on offer. Playing the spinners is also going to be one of the vital factors in helping India succeed during the rest of the tour.

4. Have a positive approach

It is alright to be cautious against the bowlers, but the batsmen must ensure that they approach their task with a positive frame of mind. They cannot afford to get into a shell as that will get the bowlers’ tails up. The right balance between caution and aggression will only come if the batsmen are confident about what they are doing. When the situation demands, they will need to shift gears and look to dominate the bowlers rather than just biding their time in the middle.

5. Give importance to rotating the strike

The fours and sixes are important but so are the singles, twos & threes. There will be phases when the boundaries will dry up and that is when rotating the strike becomes all the more important. It puts the opposition bowlers under pressure and forces them to make mistakes.

The first two T20Is have also brought out issues in the running between the wickets and these will need to be addressed quickly. How well India’s batsmen rotate the strike will also be a deciding factor in the upcoming matches.