India’s ongoing tour of South Africa has reached its final destination as both teams are fine-tuning their preparations for the second and the final Test of the series to be played at the Newlands in Cape Town, starting Wednesday, January 3.
South Africa are 1-0 up in the series after handing India a crushing defeat by an innings and 32 runs and are the favourites to clinch the series based on their imperious form. Though the Proteas will be without their skipper Temba Bavuma and pacer Gerald Coetzee as they have been ruled out due to injuries, their team still looks fairly balanced to achieve a desired result in Cape Town.
On the other hand, the tourists looked way off-colour in the first Test at the SuperSport Park. They have the daunting task at hand of scripting a comeback in the New Year’s Test and their record at the venue doesn’t make for a good reading either.
India have played six Tests at the Newlands and are yet to win a game. They have lost four of those six fixtures while two games have ended in a draw.
Newlands, Cape Town Pitch Report
Situated at the foot of Table Mountain, Newlands is one of the most picturesque cricketing venues in the world. The surface at the Newlands offers plenty of assistance to the pacers and hence batting will be an arduous task, especially, on the first day of the game. There is not a single spinner in the top eight bowlers who has claimed the most scalps at the ground in Test matches – a stat that speaks volumes about the purchase the seamers get out of the track.
Newlands Test Record and Stats
Total Test Matches: 60
Matches won batting first: 23
Matches won bowling first: 25
Average first innings score: 325
Average second innings score: 292
Average third innings score: 234
Average fourth innings score: 163
Highest total scored: 651 all out by South Africa vs Australia
Lowest total recorded: 35 all out by South Africa vs England