South Africa in Good Form, But India May Pose a Threat
- By Sameer Sandhu
- Oct. 17 1996 00:00
South Africa goes into the three-leg, round-robin preliminary matches in confident form after a morale-boosting title win in the four-nation tournament in Kenya. It will be hoping to make up for its disappointment in the World Cup earlier this year, when its batsmen were considered to have thrown away a winnable quarterfinal against the West Indies.
Leg-spinner Shane Warne pulled out of the tour with an injury, and host nation India hopes that his absence will help them.
"His absence will be detrimental to Australian prospects and could have an adverse effect on the team's performance," Tendulkar said Wednesday in Hyderabad, where India plays South Africa .
South African captain Hansie Cronje believes Tendulkar has revitalized the Indian side, despite failing with the bat in the test win against Australia last week.
"India seems to be doing rather well under new skipper Sachin Tendulkar, whose exuberance appears to have rubbed off on the squad," Cronje said.
The 23-year-old captain has said he will not open the innings with Nayan Mongia in one-day matches.
South Africa will be hoping to make up for its disappointment in the World Cup earlier this year, when its batsmen were considered to have thrown away a winnable quarterfinal against the West Indies.
Sachin Tendulkar, whose exuberance appears to have rubbed off on the squad," Cronje said.
"Tendulkar has been under pressure to perform miracles," former Indian captain Sunil Gavaskar wrote in a newspaper column this week.
South Africa will be hoping to make up for its disappointment in the World Cup earlier this year, when its batsmen were considered to have thrown away a winnable quarterfinal against the West Indies.