India vs South Africa 2019: 3 things the Proteas need to do to win the second Test at Pune

After being crushed 3-0 in the four-match Test series on their previous tour to India in 2015, South Africa came in with a relatively young and inexperienced outfit this time around. However, they bettered their dismal batting show from 2015 by putting up over 400 runs against India's threatening spin attack in the first innings.

Despite such a courageous effort though, the Proteas couldn't resist for long in the second innings as they succumbed to defeat by 203 runs.

With their loss at Visakhapatnam, they have now failed to register a single Test win on the Indian sub-continent since 2015. In their last eight Tests in Asia, they have lost five games and drawn three.

However, Faf du Plessis and his men would want to put these stats behind and focus on how they can manufacture a quick turnaround to improve their numbers in Asia. The Proteas will first have to win the second Test at the MCA stadium in Pune to keep the three-match series alive.

They will feel emboldened by their first innings efforts at Vizag and would want to carry the positives out of the first Test into the remaining matches. At the same time, the Du Plessis-led team would be aware of their mistakes and the need to rectify them.

Here, we look at three things that South Africa would need to do to win the Pune Test:

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#3 Be clear about the batting order

Temba Bavuma

After a heavy loss against India at Visakhapatnam, there have been talks in the visitors' camp regarding the need to shuffle the batting order.

While the South African openers did a decent job in both the innings, it was their fragile middle-order which got exposed on both occasions. The likes of Theunis de Bruyn and Temba Bavuma couldn't survive the Indian attack as they failed to get going in both the innings.

As a result, there has been a debate over whether Faf du Plessis should bat higher up in the batting order.

Despite the twin failure for Bavuma in the first Test, South Africa have invested faith in the youngster who comes in with a reputation of being one of the most technically correct batsmen in the team. Even in the post-match conference after the Vizag match, the South African skipper backed his regular No. 4 to continue for at least one more Test at the same position.

It will be necessary for Du Plessis to make sure that all concerns regarding their batting order are put to rest before his team takes the field in Pune. He must make sure that the batting plans are laid in such a way that they can exploit the conditions with their best batsman in at the requisite phases of the match.

#2 Pick horses for courses

Philander might face the axe from the Pune Test

In the first Test, the visitors were found wanting in their assessment of the pitch at Visakhapatnam. They picked a bowling attack that lacked any kind of threat against a solid Indian batting order.

Except for Kagiso Rabada and Keshav Maharaj, who didn't have a great outing with the ball, every other bowler was taken to the cleaners.

The visitors considered Vernon Philander ahead of Lungi Ngidi and Anrich Nortje, knowing that conditions weren't seam-friendly at Vizag. But Ngidi and Nortje possess pace that could have extracted some help, especially with the old ball, to possibly trouble the Indian batters.

In order to keep the series alive, the Proteas must ensure that they pick the right combination so as to achieve balance in the playing XI. They would want to make changes to their bowling line-up, and might consider dropping Philander to bring back either of the pace bowlers warming the bench.

#1 Formulate specific bowling plans

Rabada will have to lead the bowling attack for the visitors

The South African bowling attack looked flat in both the innings as they allowed the Indians to score runs with utmost ease. They couldn't even break the Indian opening stand in time; the 317-run partnership saw the visitors go behind the eight ball for the rest of the match.

It was their stupendous effort with the bat that brought life into the match. But with the hosts scoring quick runs in the second innings, South Africa went completely out of the match.

Before the second Test, the bowling group will have their task cut out in their bid to take 20 Indian wickets. If they don't formulate the right bowling plans, the home team will stroll their way to another easy series win.

The likes of Kagiso Rabada and the other senior bowlers will have to lead by example with the ball in hand.

Pune will also offer a typically Indian, low and slow track, with spinners coming into play much earlier in the game. The onus will be on the spinners to better their dismal show from the first Test and come out with positive results for their side.