In Guwahati on 25 November, South Africa’s head coach Shukri Conrad gave a blunt and insightful reason for the late declaration, saying that the Proteas had wanted India to “spend as much time on their feet,” essentially forcing the Indians into a grueling chase as the light faded. An hour into the final session, South Africa pushed their second‑innings advantage to 548 runs, leaving India with a target that felt almost impossible and only 15.5 overs before stumps on Day 4. It’s worth noting that South Africa has not claimed a Test series in India since 2000.
Conrad cited the famous “grovel” remark from former England captain Tony Greig in the 1976 West Indies series, using it to justify his team’s tactic. “We wanted the Indians to really grovel, to bat themselves out of the game and then to see if they could survive on the last day,” he said. He added that, while the Indians would get a shot, they would need to be at their best first thing in the morning.
The main drivers for the delayed declaration were straight‑forward cricket: the value of playing with a new ball in the morning and then exploiting the evening shadows for the fast bowlers. “We looked carefully at when we could use that new ball so that, in the evening, the shadows across the wicket would give our quick bowlers an edge,” Conrad explained.
With South Africa already leading the two‑Test series 1‑0 and India’s chances of chasing the historic 418‑run fourth‑innings record looking slim, the Proteas felt justified in setting the terms. Conrad stressed that it was no simple moral choice; they simply wanted the Indian side to spend as much time on the field after lunch and to test the effects of batting two full days earlier. He argued that the opening batsmen would find it difficult to cope this evening with a new ball and a shadow‑laden wicket, so the Proteas were confident they could strike.
He emphasized that the series was about more than just preserving a lead—South Africa were aiming for a decisive 2‑0 outcome. “If tomorrow night we are eight down and people say, ‘See, you told us so,’ we have to base it on our judgment,” Conrad said. “There isn’t a right or wrong to anything, but 2‑0 is clearly better than 1‑0, and we’re ready to go all‑out.”
Although the pitch had behaved remarkably well for batting through to the fourth day, Conrad remained optimistic, trusting that his diverse attack, especially the spinners, could still dismantle India. “I’d like to think that tomorrow Marco and the spinners can do the job,” he said. “We’ll give it our best shot.”
India’s innings fell in just 83.5 overs, largely thanks to Marco Jansen’s steep bounce—he ended with 6 for 48. For once, South Africa’s sub‑continental strategy centers more on spin than pace. They have fully embraced spin in recent tours, with Simon Harmer as the joint‑leading wicket‑taker and Senuran Muthusamy, who took 11 wickets in Lahore, named player of the series. In two of the last four Tests, the Proteas have even fielded three spinners, signalling a shift in their approach.
Conrad noted, “For the first time, we’ve thrown our weight behind spin bowlers. We have quality spinners who can compete with the best in the world and I believe the balance of the side is right.” He hopes this new identity will inspire the next generation of bowlers back home. “The big thing for me is that it gives hope to young spinners in South Africa,” he added. “We were known for fast bowling, but now spinners are an integral part of the Proteas’ attack, and that can change the mindset for future players.”
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