CHENNAI: When India toured South Africa in late 2017, it was supposed to be the beginning of something special. A year filled with overseas tours that started in South Africa before going to England and Australia.
The likes of Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Cheteshwar Pujara, and Ajinkya Rahane had been through a similar cycle four years earlier and were at the peak of their powers as international cricketers. It was their chance to make the most of the chances, having experienced them in the past. However, India came out of it with one win in South Africa, and one in England before going on to win their first-ever Test series in Australia.
Since that series win in Australia, India has won again Down Under and levelled a Test series in England. South Africa, however, remains the final frontier — the country where they are yet to win a Test series. It was the tagline when they toured two years ago under Kohli and it was the same at the start of the ongoing series under Rohit. And it would still be the same as they are set to take the field in Cape Town on Wednesday. They have missed their chance at making a mark in the Rainbow Nation, not just this time but during their last three tours. It was their best chance to do so with the experience of the proven match-winners and the potent pace attack they had developed. The final frontier remains unconquered.
While there are a lot of reasons as to why India lost, there is a significant difference between this tour and the last two. For the first time in ten years, Rohit and Kohli aren't at the forefront. The slip cordon is guarded by the likes of Shubman Gill, and Yashasvi Jaiswal where Rohit and Pujara used to be. Shreyas Iyer is at gully, where Rahane used to be. And that, in essence, sums up where the Indian Test team is at the moment. The transition that began a while ago is getting to a stage where the youngsters are outnumbering the veterans and it is showing. Jaiswal is playing only his fourth Test, Gill has batted at No.3 only thrice, Iyer has played one Test in England and Centurion was his first in South Africa.
Ten years ago, when Kohli, Rohit, Rahane and Pujara arrived on South African shores, it was their first time as well. However, Kohli had established himself as the heir-apparent to the No. 4 slot after Sachin Tendulkar, and he made it clear in that tour with a century. He followed it up with another in New Zealand before smashing multiple hundreds in Australia later in 2014. Pujara had piled on runs in the long home season, scored a century in Johannesburg and added to the misery of Australians later. Rahane, Murali Vijay and Shikhar Dhawan left an impression, scoring centuries in at least one of the SENA countries that season. In many ways, that season was when the next decade of India's Test batting was determined; where the veterans of today came of age.
Today, with Pujara and Rahane out of the Test team, Rohit at the top and Kohli at No. 4 are the glue that is holding this batting line-up together. Which is why, despite the frontier remaining unconquered, there is a lot to look forward to for India in the longest format of the game in 2024. While the year starts in Cape Town, India have ten home Tests — five against England, three against New Zealand and two versus Bangladesh — before they travel to Australia for a five-match series. Next year, they will be travelling to England for another five-match series. Although the England trip is still 18 months away, the next 12 months will determine how India's Test batting looks in the coming decade, where Gill, Jaiswal, Iyer, Ruturaj Gaikwad and Rishabh Pant (if and when he comes back) stand in the longest format and more.
On Wednesday though, all eyes will be on the likes of Gill and Jaiswal. For both of them have been batting prodigies and have broken into the Indian team through the sheer weightage of their performances and are expected to go on and do big things. Gill, especially, will be on the radar with the lean patch he has had. Rohit, however, threw his weight behind the youngster on Tuesday. "Gill is smart and understands his batting pretty well," he said. "He prefers that number (No. 3). He has batted in the Ranji Trophy at that number around that position. He has opened in Test and limited overs game but the No. 3 was his preference. He feels he can do well for us batting at that position. It is an individual thing about how you think about certain positions."
Whether Gill will make that position his own or not remains to be seen. What is clear, however, is that this Test and the ones ahead are more about the younger generation than seeking redemptions and conquering unfulfilled frontiers.
