After recieving a beating from the South Africans,India now have to play out the test series which starts on the 15th of December.

Before the first test at Johannesberg,they will have a warm-up match against The Rest of South Africa team on the 7th of this month.India's test form has been good with the test series in West Indies being their latest win.

Can the Indian comeback in the test series or will the South Africans continue their domination?

__________________
Karthik Venkatesan

Being in India at the moment, I've been viewing a lot of Indian cricket, and I must say that Ganguly is a good pick back. Experience for the middle order, he knows his stuff. And Tests are different from "hit everything you can" ODIs, and if Zaheer Khan get under the skin of Smith again, hopefully get him out a lot like he did in the ODIs, it's going to be a good series in my opinion.

__________________
Frank Skinner: "You know when Glenn McGrath trod on that cricket ball? Don't you wish it would've been a landmine?"

I believe that India can come back strongly in the tests. With Laxman and Ganguly back, the batting line-up looks a great deal better than it did in the ODI's.

SA has done themselves a disservice by not releasing the Proteas for the Cobras' domestic match this weekend (Smith and Gibbs especially), as they could have benefitted from the batting practice.

Hopefully Munaf is fully fit for the first test, or else India might struggle a bit in the bowling department.

I also expect India to do better in the tests than what the did in the ODIs. But I doubt they will win. Laxman and Ganguly are both good players but they will take a match of two to settle down. Sachin Tendulkar did play some good shots in the last ODI but he is far from himself. He too needs to spend some time there in the middle without the pressure of scoring. Its very necessary for others to score so that he can give himself the time to get back in form. I look forward to some good batting from Dravid. I will be happy if India wins one test at least.

It all depends upon how Sachin, Dravid and VVS perform with the bat. If they do well, India have a chance of drawing the tests. I believe winning for India, with their inexperienced bowling attack and fragile batting, is out of question. History supports this view although it would be good if it is proved wrong!

This weekend's 4-day game should be very good preparation for the Indian side. The Potchefstroom pitch is always a happy hunting ground for batsmen, and we should see some good scores. (hopefully).


On the other hand, the Rest of SA side has got some very good bowlers in Morne Morkel, Mornantau Hayward and Garnett Kruger. Kruger has been on the fringes of the national side for 2 years, Hayward has had a very good season for the Warriors so far this year and Morkel is one impressive young fast bowler.

In fact, Alan Donald has been calling for Morkel's inclusion in the national side. So, the Indians will have their work cut out, but if they can hold their own against the new ball, they should be able to get some valuable batting practice ahead of the first test.

As far as the Indian bowling attack is concerned, it it not THAT inexperienced. 4 Experienced ones, 3 inexperienced. The fast bowlers need to pitch the ball up more. They don't have the speed of Ntini and Nel to pitch it short to cause the SA batsmen too many problems.

i have no hopes for india even drawing a single test against proteas this time(except if rain occurs)
being a hardcore fan of indian team i 've been many many times fooled by our much hyped celebrity players in the recent past with their dismal performance
so only rain can save this team from 3-0 white wash

BOOH, the Indian team is known to play well when u least expect it. And then they are all good players, a few good hours in the middle will get them back in form.

__________________
My computer can beat me at chess.....but its no match for me at kick boxing.

I hope they turn it around.. is Dravid returning for the Tests????

India needs him!!

__________________

... (well, at least that's what convenor of selectors Haroon Lorgat predicts)

I still believe India will be able to give a better account om themselves in the tests.

Seems like there were some "words" between Jacques Rudolph (captain RoSA), Vaughan van Jaarsveld and Indian bowler Sree Sreesanth...

Sreesanth allegedly said something to Van Jaarsveld about his weight...And van Jaarsveld also had something to say to Sree after the former was given out lbw to the latter.

And then Rudolph gave the following "words of advice to Sree" :http://www.supercricket.co.za/sateam

Not the same kind of "war-talk" one sees re the Ashes...but some pre- test needle anyway