It's the last Test match of the year, India are on the verge of history, but Jacques Kallis' announcement seems to have hijacked the occasion. The legend's decision to quit Test cricket after the Durban decider has cast a gloom over Kingsmead, the very venue where he made his debut 18 years back.
There will surely be several emotional moments over the next five days, but the superb competitor that Kallis is, he will look to ensure that India don't go past a checkpost they have always faltered at.
The Indians have never won a Test series in South Africa and there's a feeling here that this is their best chance. The pitch is not the fastest or greenest, the Indian team is on a high after a superb first-Test show and the hosts' recent record at this venue is dismal — losses in their last four matches here.
South African coach Russell Domingo said after looking at the pitch that they didn't expect something like this. "It's a dry pitch, another hard-fought battle is in store," Domingo said, adding how the nature of the Kingsmead track has changed from being fast and bouncy to dry and slow.
Of course, it's not as dry as Green Park in Kanpur, but the Indian team should feel comfortable about it. With a 3-1 pace-spin combination on the cards, it's unlikely that the bowling attack will see a change from the first Test. R Ashwin has been under a bit of pressure, but Cheteshwar Pujara said on Tuesday that the team management has complete faith in the offie.
The South Africans have more on their plate at the moment than India. Firstly, they have to handle the Kallis-induced emotional turmoil. And then, premier pace bowler Morne Morkel is not yet 100 per cent fit.
He has recovered well from the ankle injury he suffered at Wanderers but the team management is not yet certain whether they will be able to include him in the playing XI. "He will undergo a fitness test on Thursday morning before we finally decide whether we can play him. Had it been an ODI, he would have been playing, but Test cricket is a different ball game where you have to last five days," a team source said.
Morkel has his fingers crossed. "It's a difficult Christmas for me, but wait till tomorrow," Morkel told TOI before leaving the ground.
Vernon Philander has been in great form but Dale Steyn wasn't at his best during the first Test. That's an area of concern for South Africa, who have also been taken aback by the spirited performance of the Indian pace attack.
"The Indian fast bowlers have done really well. A bowler like Zaheer has bowled all his life on the unresponsive pitches in India and that's where he has learnt so many variations. He is well equipped to put our batting under pressure," Domingo said.
The Indian team believes that the South African batting line-up has shown signs of frailty. Graeme Smith and Alviro Petersen are not in the best of form, while it remains to be seen how well Kallis can control his emotions in his farewell Test. The team, of course, will pull out all stops to ensure that the all-rounder goes out on a high.
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