Sri Lankan head coach who Nic Pothas has predicted that India’s tour of South Africa will be a close contest. The Indian tour of Proteas begins next month. He felt it is gonna be a close contest provided that the Kohli led batting up measures up to the intimidating new ball attack of the home side. the 44-year-old head coach of the Sri Lankan national team feels that the current Indian Team Under Virat Kohli seems to have covered all their bases.
“They (India) have got all their bases covered. If you provide them with a green wicket they have got bowling attack to knock over other batting line-ups. If it’s a flat wicket, they have got those bases covered. If a wicket spins they have got their bases covered,” said Pothas.
“If the Indian batting line-up can get runs against South Africa, then South Africa is going to find them (India) very tough,” added Pothas. South Africa now has the privilege of unleashing a deadly new ball attack on India ever since the return of their premier fast bowler Dale Steyn after a lengthy spell in sidelines de to injury and rehabilitation process.
Team India are yet to win a test series in South Africa, are scheduled to play 3 tests with the series opener at Cape Town starting January 5. He also added that Kohli’s limited over side also has plenty of depth to fall back upon and also went on to praise former India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni as the best finisher in the game of cricket.
“In one-day cricket, they (India) have got a lot of depth, even in the 3rd T20I, they made a few changes (and) it did not hurt them. I like the fact that MS has closed games for a long time now. He is the best in the world in doing that,” added Pothas
He also mentioned that India was trying new players like Hardik Pandya to do the finisher job which Dhoni is considered to be a master of.”But tonight, Hardik (Pandya) had a chance to do that. They are providing opportunities for others to do it and are looking to the future to build players who can take over from the senior guys. They’re a very exciting side and having watched them now over two series, they’re a great side to learn from. It’s going to be a great series in South Africa,” said Pothas.
He also said that although India has good wrist spinners in Yuzvendra Chahal and Kuldeep Yadav who are touted to be a big challenge for the South African batsman, the Proteas too have Imran Tahir to pay back in the same coin.”When someone bowls a similar action (and) the ball can go both ways, it makes tough for anybody. But there has to be other qualities as well. You can’t just pick a spinner who is okay because he is a wrist-spinner. I think these (Indians) are quality wrist-spinners. But you have to remember Imran Tahir is a pretty good bowler as well. So it’s going to be a battle of wrist-spin in the ODIs,” he concluded.
