South Africa are gearing up for one of their most demanding assignments in world cricket — a Test series against India — with a burning ambition to end a 15-year drought on Indian soil. As spinner Keshav Maharaj put it, there’s a “real hunger and desire” within the camp to register a Test victory in India finally.

The two-match series, set to begin on November 14, will be hosted in Kolkata and Guwahati, marking yet another chapter in one of cricket’s most competitive rivalries. Speaking during an online media interaction, Keshav Maharaj acknowledged that winning in India remains one of the most formidable challenges in Test cricket.

“There’s a real hunger and desire within the camp to beat India in India. It’s probably one of the toughest tours, if not the toughest, in the Proteas calendar. We feel like it’s one of our biggest tests — a chance to assess how far we’ve come as a team,” he said. The left-arm spinner further added that the team has made progress across the subcontinent in recent years, but conquering India remains the ultimate test.

WATCH – Abhishek Nayar Says India Has Moved On From Mohammed Shami

Despite their consistency in red-ball cricket, the Proteas have struggled in India, failing to win a Test in their last two visits in 2015 and 2019. Keshav Maharaj, however, believes that the upcoming series offers a fresh opportunity for redemption and expects the pitches to be more balanced than before.

“I don’t think it will be as spin-friendly as we experienced in Pakistan. I think it will be good wickets that deteriorate as the game goes on — more traditional Test wickets,” he noted.

Keshav Maharaj also highlighted how India’s recent home pitches have promoted competitive cricket rather than spin-dominated contests. Referring to the West Indies series, he said, “Those were good wickets that lasted four to five days. I think India wants to continue with that approach — producing sporting wickets that bring all skill sets into play.”

The Proteas have often found themselves undone by the spin duo of Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja on previous tours, but Keshav Maharaj is confident that his side is better equipped this time. He also emphasised the importance of carrying momentum from their recent series in Pakistan, where South Africa levelled the contest despite challenging conditions.

WATCH – Suresh Raina Predicts Rishabh Pant And Jasprit Bumrah As Key Players For South Africa Tests

“We’re carrying momentum from that Pakistan series. We’ve shown that no matter the toss, we’ll fight hard and push for a result. There’s a real precision and purpose in our approach,” Keshav Maharaj concluded, setting the tone for a fiercely contested series between two determined sides.