India vs South Africa: We need a bit of luck to win Test series in South African conditions, says Rahul Dravid

Team India head coach Rahul Dravid believes that his team needs a “bit of luck” as Rohit Sharma and Co look to clinch their maiden Test series in South Africa. In 31 years of touring South Africa, India have not won a Test series in South Africa and would be keen to complete the ‘Final Frontier’.

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Since their first tour to South Africa in 1992, India have toured the country seven more times and won four matches, but a series victory has eluded them till now. India have won at least one Test series in England, Australia and New Zealand.

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“We (have) come close a couple of times and we have played some good cricket here… just a few critical moments we have not been able to, maybe, get over the line, get the 34-40-50 runs that you probably need to be able to… to compete here,” Dravid said on Star Sports ahead of the first Test at Centurion’s SuperSport Park.

Dravid said that his team would take inspiration from the bowlers’ performance when India last toured South Africa in 2022. India had clinched the first Test in Centurion by 113 runs, but gave away their 1-0 lead with the Proteas winning the next two Tests to clinch the series.

“Having said that, we looked at a lot of stuff and the way we bowled, I thought we bowled really well in the last series which gives us a lot of confidence that we have the ability to take 20 wickets here with the kind of attack that we have,” added Dravid.

“You need a little bit of luck as well in these conditions, there are lot of plays and misses, you want to be the one playing and missing, and hopefully, the opposition edging those same ones. I think there is a little bit of luck involved,” continued the 50-year-old.

“But, as long as you do your skills well and make sure that you are putting the ball in the right area, as batting with a certain level of discipline and patience when it is required, looking to capitalise when the ball gets a little bit softer and you are ahead of the game and recognising that you you are never ‘in’ in these kinds of conditions in South Africa…

“You might feel that you are in when batting on 34-40, but really, if you can convert that into a much more significant score that makes a big difference.”

Dravid said that it’s those little things that matter against good teams like South Africa.

“So little things like that you need to get right against a really good team like South Africa, very strong team in these conditions, who know how to play well here. I hope that, over the course of the next two Test matches, we will be able to do that,” added Dravid.

Pacer Prasidh Krishna made his Test debut on Tuesday and Dravid termed him as a “promising prospect”.

“Prasidh is a promising prospect, but we have to be realistic that this is his first Test match. He has not had a lot of first-class cricket to fall back on because of a number of reasons.

“But I am hoping he has a good game and enjoys himself. It is such a lovely moment when we give out a new cap to someone, commented Dravid.

India are currently taking on South Africa in the first Test in Centurion. India were 157/6 at the time of writing this report with KL Rahul (23*) and Shardul Thakur (23*) unbeaten. The series is part of the 2023-25 World Test Championship (WTC) title.