South Africa's 'subcontinental' challenge of spin and intrigue

A deluge of net bowlers lined up near India's practice nets at Eden Gardens as Kuldeep Yadav and Washington Sundar began their session. Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj warmed up in adjacent nets while the top-order batters focused heavily on spin. Alongside Kuldeep's left-arm wrist spin and Washington's off-spin, net bowlers provided left-arm orthodox and right-arm variations turning the ball both ways.

Batting in spin-specific nets carries added significance since New Zealand rattled India last year. For touring teams outside the subcontinent, those 2024 heroics have become the blueprint. India's top-order looks different now, but the memory of losing 37 wickets to spin in three Tests still lingers.

India appeared more assured against West Indies last month, losing only 11 wickets to spin and averaging 63.09 against it. However, the lesson for South Africa lies in the numbers: India lost a wicket every 17.5 overs of spin against West Indies, but this dropped to 5.4 overs against New Zealand's higher-quality attack. No visiting team's spin attack managed a better strike rate than New Zealand's 33.8 in 89 bilateral series in India.

South Africa arrives with recent subcontinental experience, fresh from two Tests in Pakistan where they secured a remarkable win in Rawalpindi with Keshav Maharaj claiming seven first-innings wickets. In India, Maharaj will be flanked by Senuran Muthusamy and Simon Harmer in a spin-heavy squad that hasn't escaped Indian management's notice.

India's assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate noted, "It's a little bit like playing against a subcontinent team. You never actually normally worry about the pace attack first. And I'm pretty sure they'll go with two seamers and three spinners."

South Africa attempted a three-spinner formula during their 2019 India tour but abandoned it after the first Test. Recent evidence suggests they might persist this time – in Pakistan, their spinners outbowled the hosts 239 overs to 227, while their pacers delivered just 81 overs.

South Africa's only two Test wins in India since 2001 came when Dale Steyn tore through batting line-ups. Now with Kagiso Rabada leading the attack on his third India tour, the narrative focuses on spinners doing the heavy lifting.

South Africa head coach Shukri Conrad expressed confidence in his spin combinations: "I think previously, and this is not saying that we didn't have good spinners in the past, but certainly we think we've got a better pack of spinners now. Obviously, Keshav, Simon and Sen, so I think it gives us a lot of confidence."

India have addressed their spin vulnerabilities since the New Zealand series. Ten Doeschate acknowledged, "It's something as a team that we need to get better. We addressed it early on. We've come up short a few times. So it's a great challenge. Hopefully we've learned from the New Zealand series."

Intriguingly, South Africa's spin emphasis comes as India appear to be moving away from rank turners at home – a shift shaped by last year's lessons. South Africa thrived on spin in Pakistan but might find it harder to replicate that success here. India handled West Indies' spinners effectively but must prove they can do the same against South Africa. The two sides now meet in that space between expectation and reality, with potential for a memorable series.