Cricket South Africa is faced with the challenge of a resurgent India after their Aussie ODI success. But could this be turned to their advantage?

The Proteas have made a a good start to 2008. They have strung together four Test series wins in a row and this might be the jewel that lures the South Africans away from India's strength in the ODI arena.

Questions are currently being asked about the strategy for this tour. The Proteas traditionally perform well in India but might they opt to 'throw' the ODIs and focus on the Tests?

'If you told the BCCI that South Africa will gift them the ODIs in exchange for the Tests right now, I think they'd take the offer and run'


India, it seems, are comfortable with this trade-off and if you told the BCCI that we'll gift them the ODIs in exchange for the Tests right now, I think they'd take the offer and run.

This is to do with the value the Indians seem to place on the shorter version of the game. Their success in the CB Series is being trumpeted as a Test series win - and judging by the back-patting, the Indians believe they are the greatest cricketing nation on the planet because of it.

Unfortunately, this isn't entirely true, or even close. The Indians are a struggling Test team and after the loss in the first Test in Australia, looked likely to fall apart.

South Africa, on the other hand, have been in fine nick in the Test arena. They have worked at playing Tests like no other team in world cricket, and have experimented with various options while keeping a winning momentum.

I think South Africa will focus on the Tests and aim to make it five series wins in a row. It is also going to be very interesting to see how South African Gary Kirsten, the new India coach, will prepare for the Tests.

Will his 'inside' intimate knowledge of South African strategy prove valuable or will it turn out to be outdated and backfire?

The Proteas, faced with the knowledge that Kirsten in now part of the opposing camp, may perform brilliantly and deliver the possibility of a 'new look' Test approach.

Graeme Smith and Neil McKenzie have hinted that this might entail a lot more aggression and a Test run rate of five or six an over from the start.

South Africa have also kept their bowling attack under wraps. Will Paul Harris and Johan Botha operate as a spin duo? Will Harris and Robin Peterson operate at one end with the pace and swing attack at the other end? Will Andre Nel get under the skin of the Indians and open cracks for Dale Steyn, Morne Morkel and Makhaya Ntini?

And with Jacques Kallis getting a recent five-for, everyone is asking will he swing it like that again?

I'd like to say South Africa have the strength and depth to win the Tests and ODIs comfortably, but in the modern game, form in one format or the other is the trend.

For the purist, the prospect of South Africa winning the Test series is sufficient and 'on paper' seems likely.