More pace in store for India

“I’m a very fast-bowling minded coach and I guess we will always have to find a balance to see if we can get four fast bowlers in the team, first of all,” Gibson was quoted as saying. 

“We’ll look at conditions that are suited to four fast bowlers. If not, we try and shape the team in other ways. Ultimately, especially in this series and for the rest of the summer, we will be looking to see how best we can fit four fast bowlers into whatever formula we come up with,” he added. Former South African all-rounder Lance Klusener shared the same sentiments. 

“You expect to be battered with pace when you come to South Africa. Look at its team selection. It played four pacers that in itself is a message from the Proteas. It was always going to be a challenge for India especially after it had just played Sri Lanka,” he said. 

“That series went by in home conditions without the Indian batsmen playing any real fast bowling. Yes, they fought hard in this Test but lost chasing a small total, and this should be extremely disappointing for them,” said Klusener. 

He was full of praise for the Indian bowling though. “When you compare them to South Africa’s pace attack, they do lack a bit of pace, bowling in the mid-130s. But what I found remarkable was that they immediately hit the perfect length for South African conditions. It was similar to the lengths Philander was bowling. 

“In the past, we have seen Indian pacers come here and get carried away with bounce and carry. This time they have obviously spoken about bowling fuller lengths and it was excellent to see them executing their plans very well,” said the Man of the tournament in the 1999 World Cup. When asked about how the Indian batsmen should play Philander going ahead, the Zimbabwean batting coach said, “To a bowler of that pace, you have to stand out of the crease and force him to alter his lengths. 

“You need to stand at least half a metre outside the crease, if not a full meter, and force Vernon Philander to bowl shorter lengths at you. You have to take the game to him and be proactive. If you stay in your crease and try to play him, you will be in trouble all day.”