A pair of battling openers might have been the solution. On the few occasions that India have played well overseas, they have had solid starts. Here in South Africa the two men assigned that job are, ironically, the two batsmen who are struggling the most. 20 for 2 on the first morning and it will be like the reprint of a popular paperback. Notice how defensive even the writer gets but that is the air everyone here in Johannesburg breathes. I fear a self-fulfilling prophecy is on the way.

If, however, India’s top three can blunt the opposition, then the rest chip in with runs, it will be interesting to watch South Africa go about a situation that I suspect even they wouldn’t have spent too much time over. South Africa are currently sixth in the world standings and while that could be the effect of playing a lot of away Tests, it is also an illustration of the fact that they aren’t the best batting line-up in the world.

On current form, South Africa have one world class batsman in Jacques Kallis and two others who on their day could fit into that category. But Graeme Smith is in indifferent form and Herschelle Gibbs is a little too volatile to slot anywhere. It is the right move to ask him to open the batting, even if that might be hard on young de Villiers for if Gibbs has the right kind of day, he can dictate the course of a match very quickly.

... contd.