For a number of years, Indians held the number one spot before being recently overthrown by Australia in Tests.
The Indian team built quite an unbreachable fortress at home which helped them remain at the summit of the ICC Test team rankings.
However, their acid Test arrived with their SENA assignment in the 2018-19 season. The action started with the 2018 India tour of South Africa.
After being in the losing side in the first two matches of the three-match Test series, India bounced back heroically in the Johannesburg Test match.
Moreover, the subsequent six-match ODI series turned out to be a one-sided affair, with the ‘Men in Blue’ blowing away the hosts in all departments.
Now, former South African captain, Faf du Plessis has looked back at the humiliating loss to the Indians and tagged India’s dominance as ‘men playing with boys’.
“In the one-dayers we had 3 or 4 big injuries. I broke my finger, Quinton got injured and I think Hashim got injured. So, basically our batting line-up was gone. And then India bulldozed all over us, they beat us 5-0. It was men taking on the boys. They were just too good in that series,” Du Plessis said on the Sony Ten Pitstop Show.
“We beat the Indian Test team 2-1 but it was a great Test series. That was one of the best series I have been involved in. Because India for the first time had a pace attack that could take on South Africa in South Africa and Australia, that is why they were so successful,” he added.
Unlike the other touring sides in the past, the recent SENA assignment for the Indian team in the white was a fairly competitive one overall.
Further, Du Plessis revealed why he did not want Jasprit Bumrah to make his debut in the Cape Town Test match.
“Bumrah made his debut in that Test series. We were actually hoping that he doesn’t make his debut. Because I knew how good he was. He has got that beautiful wrist that is quick on you, almost like Archer. They are similar type bowlers. Their fast bowlers were really good.”
During the Test series against South Africa, and then in England and Australia, it was the Indian pace attack which brought home the laurels.
“So that series was fought on an even keel all the time. That was one of the best series to be involved in, obviously, we won it 2-1. India was a proper powerful team then as well,” the Protea cricketer concluded.
