Stats Preview: India’s opportunity to take 25-year old Revenge from SA

The year 2018 is all set for a stellar start with the top two-ranked sides in the ICC Test rankings – India and South Africa – going head-to-head in a three-match tussle in South Africa. While India is set to kick-off their tours away from home following an extended period of dominance at home, South Africa is getting ready for a big summer.

The three Tests against India will be followed by another four against Australia. Though the visitors have lost five out of the six series in South Africa, they are perfectly capable of turning the tables this time around.

2-8 Win-loss record for India in South Africa – the best among the four Asian teams in South Africa. The first of their two wins in South Africa came in Johannesburg in 2006 when they beat the hosts by 123 runs. The second one was in the second Test in Durban in 2010 when they overcame the hosts by 87 runs after losing the first by an innings margin.

25.30 India’s batting average in Tests in South Africa – the lowest for them in any country. In the 17 Tests in South Africa, Indian batsmen have gone past fifty 43 times out of a possible 336 innings which gives them an innings per fifty of 7.81, the lowest for them in any country.

India’s batsmen in all countries:

27.43 Hashim Amla’s average against India at home. In comparison, he averages 62.73 in India with four of his five three-figure scores (versus the Asian country) coming in India. In his last eight Tests against India, he has scored only 271 runs from 14 innings at 19.36 with just a solitary fifty.

42.73 Bowling average for R Ashwin in Tests outside the sub-continent in comparison to 23.04 at home. He failed to pick up a wicket in his only Test in South Africa in 2013-14 before being dropped for the first time in his career. Ravindra Jadeja also has similar contrasting numbers – 20.34 at home and 41.80 outside Asia.

So guys, who will win the first test which is going to start from tomorrow? If you find anything interesting about this story then do share your views on the same in below comment section.