Indian Cricket: Can the next-gen Fab Four survive the litmus test?

Shikhar Dhawan (R) and Virat Kohli will be carrying a lot of hopes going into the series.

For the last two years, the fall of the first wicket would have created a big disappointment for millions on seeing a relatively new face walk in at that position after nearly a decade and a half. From now on, it could get worse, as the wild excitement of a billion cricket fans on the fall of the second Indian wicket would never be there to be witnessed. Maybe India’s tryst with unlikely fourth innings comebacks could become a tale of the past. There might also never be an aggressive captain with such a loyal fan base to play the game for India. All the players from the ‘Fabulous Four’ have hung their boots now to make way for the next generation.

Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan can never become or be compared to Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar, VVS Laxman and Sourav Ganguly. But it’s the right time for these four to pull up their socks and perform to ensure that the legends will never feel missed. They have managed to meet people’s expectations in the sub-continent, but with the South Africa series due to start in a few days, all eyes will be on how these young men combat the fiery South African bowling unit.

South Africa has never been a happy hunting ground for Indian batsmen as records speak more of the fact. Even Rahul Dravid, a man for overseas conditions, has never managed to break the shackles in these conditions while Sachin Tendulkar, who averages 48 here, hasn’t been quite able to perform Tendulkar-esque feats here. This young brigade is yet to reveal their weaknesses and Steyn and co. will be very eager to exploit the young guns.

Virat Kohli, arguably the best ODI batsman now, is yet to play to the best of his credentials in the Test arena. Over the years, Kohli has matured a lot and a sense of calmness automatically comes around when he is batting and this time, he might just feel the pressure of stepping into the giant shoes of Tendulkar at No.4. He could definitely play the moving ball better than any other player in the side and could well be the mainstay of the batting order in this tour. Kohli was the last Indian batsman to hit a test century overseas and also the only batsman other than Dravid to do so in the last couple of years.

Cheteshwar Pujara has already been able to live up to expectations at No.3 and has batted authoritatively with some healthy numbers on his side. Also, experience could well be on the side of Pujara who has already played a couple of tests in South Africa. His rock solid technique and classical approach will definitely come handy when facing the likes of Steyn, Morne Morkel and Vernon Philander. He has also been pretty much among the runs in the domestic season that must boost his confidence levels.

Will Rohit Sharma be able to continue his golden run with the bat?

Shikhar Dhawan brings that extra edge to this batting line-up with his aggressive approach upfront that could intimidate even the best of the bowlers. It has been a dream run for him since his big century against the Aussies on his test debut and the last time he played South Africa in an international game, he had comfortably reached triple figures. Not to forget his magnificent 248 for India ‘A’ a few months back in the country, he will be eager to walk up to his Sun Riser Hyderabad team-mate Steyn and thrash him for an array of hits to the off-side fence. The lad with a twirling moustache and a broad smile has definitely emerged as a fitting replacement for Virender Sehwag.

Rohit Sharma, who made the headlines for the first time with a fifty against the host nation in the 2007 T20 World Cup, has seen the extremes of his form since then. The Mumbaikar suddenly rediscovered himself in the Champions Trophy and has been having a golden run so far. With a memorable and extraordinary debut test series against the West Indies at his helm, he must be positive in playing against the Proteas and he will be raring to reaffirm the ‘talented’ tag presented to him. He has been tormented in the past by Steyn in the IPL and should settle scores this time to add another feather to his dream run.

When Sachin Tendulkar was expected to capture the final frontier in his 200th test, a sudden turnaround of events meant that the farewell was held at home and the Indian team had to travel without the Little Master. And that, in turn, has created massive opportunities for the younger lot to hold up their aces and deliver against the best of bowling attacks in the world. Should they perform well here, it will be safe to say that Indian batting is safe in the hands of the next-generation ‘Fab Four’.