Dravid looks forward to South African tour
Seasoned Indian batsman http://www.senore.com/Cricket/South-Africa-c757 would be a real challenge for his team as they bid to carry their top ranking in test cricket over to the start of the next year.
The South Africans have already indicated that they are going to prepare hard, bouncy wickets with a tinge of green on them in a bid to counter the much vaunted batting line up of their opponents that include some of the modern masters of the game.
The star studded Indian line up includes Sachin Tendulkar, http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Virender-Sehwag-c95429 and Dravid himself, the trio has done remarkably well in test cricket in the last one year or so. They have also succeeded in toppling the Australians by a margin of 2-0 in two match
series at home.
That was followed by a 1-0 win in three test match series against http://www.senore.com/Cricket/New-Zealand-c754; hence the test team is eager to carry on against the Proteas who are fighting with them for the top rank in the ICC test rankings.
Dravid feels that despite the good Indian run lately the conditions and wickets at South Africa are set to test them through out the three test match contest.
The wall of http://www.senore.com/Cricket/India-c750 added that the bowling attack of the tourists is also an extremely impressive one spearheaded by left armer Zaheer Khan and Harbhajan Singh.
“I think this tour will be a challenge with the fact we have not grown up playing on tracks like the ones they have in South Africa but that is all about what international cricket is about, playing on surfaces you’re not used to playing on and meeting those
challenges.
“South Africa is a tough team who can play a Test match for its full five days and really wear you down as a side if you don’t stay with them”. says Dravid.
“We have a well balanced team which can take 20 wickets in most conditions when we’re abroad, and that gives me confidence as we have a side that is balanced with both a good bowling attack as well as a strong batting line up,” he adds.
On the other hand the South Africans have acknowledged that their bowling attack would have to do its best to counter the Indian batting line-up which can be extremely destructive at times.
The main threat for the Proteas is Virender Sehwag who hits the ball extremely hard and scores at the rate of knots, even in the longest format of the game.
The hosts are pinning their hopes on their number one strike bowler http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Dale-c52110 Steyn who is averaging 5 wickets per test match; he has done well all over the world against all opposition and has now set his sights on the Indians.
The right armer who has the ability to move the ball away from the right handers at blistering pace is already looking beyond the Indian series.
His next target is the World Cup; a tournament that the Proteas are yet to win despite coming close in all of the five events they have participated in since their return to international cricket in 1992.
“We have probably been on the receiving end of a bit of bad luck in previous World Cups that I haven't been part of. But there is no monkey on any of our backs. I have never been in any World Cup. And I can guarantee you about six of the other guys that
are going to this World Cup have never been either.
“There are no monkeys on any of our backs about going and winning a World Cup or not winning”. says Steyn.
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