South Africa has a great squad in 2008 and I'm a huge fan.

Fans like to see their team win, there is however no denying that India too have a good team in 2008 and so I have plotted a carefully-planned route to ensure the South Africans come out ahead in 2008.

The Indian series is crucial for the Proteas to progress up the 2008 ICC rankings and these are some of the current factors playing on their minds:

'A draw in Test cricket is probably the only thing you could manufacture with some certainty'


1) The number one ranking in 2008 is up for grabs

2) India have the home advantage

3) Australia struggled to beat India in their own backyard.

The plan is simple. Basically, South Africa shouldn't plan on winning in India and should play for a drawn series.

Draws are boring and may be a bit unsporting, but an away draw is enough to ensure South Africa has a clear enough path to the number one ranking in 2008.

I doubt any team has started a tour with a draw as its ULTIMATE goal, but Proteas' fans believe South Africa should have an away draw as their only goal.

In Test cricket, teams usually start out aiming for a win. When various stages of the game are reached and time elapses, these goals are often reassessed and modified.

This is the nature of the game. But if one team, in a contest between equally-matched teams, was to set out for a draw from the start, then it would be very difficult, if not impossible to prevent this from happening.

A draw in Test cricket is probably the only thing you could manufacture with some certainty.

If South Africa won the toss, they could opt to bowl and with disciplined pace bowling and slow over rates this would help their quest for a draw. If the South Africans bat first, they have the batsmen to hang around. By neglecting over rates, run rates and every kind of score rate imaginable, the Proteas could occupy the crease for two or three days per innings to guarantee a draw.

I think South Africa are strong enough to beat India, but with bigger fish to fry in 2008 and the ICC number one ranking at stake, Graeme Smith should keep his eye on 2009 and concentrate on a drawn series. India need to win this series and that will rest a lot heavier on their minds if South Africa show we are intent on sitting on our hands with mind-numbing cricket aimed at only drawing.

If South Africa end 2008 with five wins and one or two AWAY draws, that will be enough to ensure they are number one by 2009.

India are going to have to play a lot of cricket over the next 30 days, and they will be taught the difference between Bollywood stars and 'the real thing' in cricket.

Go Proteas, bring us back that swashbuckling DRAW from India!