South Africa head coach Shukri Conrad asserted that his team is ready to give India a run for their money in the two-match Test series, starting on Friday, November 14, at the iconic Eden Gardens in Kolkata.
Conrad knows that spinners are going to play a crucial role in the Test series, which will conclude in Guwahati. He believes that Keshav Maharaj, Simon Harmer, and Senuran Muthusamy form a better spin-bowling attack than the ones that have toured India from the Rainbow Nation in the past.
"Having
good spinners in your team, does that add spice to the overall contest? Yes, I think it gives us a lot of confidence. Not saying that we didn't have good spinners in the past, but we certainly think we've got a better pack of spinners now in Keshav, Simon and Sen,” Conrad said during a press conference on Wednesday.
"It gives us a lot of confidence that if the conditions are (conducive) we feel that we've got the armoury to obviously challenge India in that respect as well. We're quietly confident that we can make history of our own here in Eden Gardens and in India,” Conrad said.
'I don't think there's been a bigger challenge' - Conrad on facing India
The Proteas recently drew a two-match Test series against Pakistan 1-1. The two matches were played in Lahore and Rawalpindi. However, Conrad acknowledged that facing India on home soil is going to be a different challenge altogether.
"Look India, tough challenge anyway in the world, and when you come to an iconic venue like Eden Gardens, it just makes it even tougher," Conrad said.
"I don't think you can compare the quality of the sides we played against (Pakistan) to India, and this will be our biggest challenge. Certainly in my 20th match, I don't think there's been a bigger challenge (than this),” he added.
South African fans will breathe a sigh of relief as their captain, Temba Bavuma, has pulled up well after missing the Pakistan Tests due to injury. He played in the second unofficial Test against India A and scored a half-century in the second innings. South Africa will be hoping to take confidence from New Zealand's performance against India last year, when the Kiwis whitewashed the Asian giants 3-0 in a three-match Test series.
