"We Got A Horrible Pitch": Wasim Jaffer Recalls India's 2006-07 South Africa Tour

India and South Africa are set to clash in a three-match Test series starting December 26 at the SuperSport Park in Centurion. The Indian Test team led by Virat Kohli reached South Africa last week and is training hard to end the country's quest for Test series win there. Meanwhile, former India cricketer Wasim Jaffer recalled Team India's 2006/07 tour to South Africa where he scored a century. India lost the 2006/07 series 1-2 to South Africa but they completely outplayed the home team in the first Test at the Wanderers. India defeated the Proteas by 123 runs to register their first Test win in South Africa. S Sreesanth was the player of the match for his five-wicket haul in the first innings, followed by three wickets in the second innings.

That match is also remembered for Sourav Ganguly's unbeaten 51-run knock in the first innings on his comeback Test after being dropped as both player and captain.

Batting was difficult on that Wanderers pitch and the hosts were bowled out for just 84 runs in their first innings. Jaffer, who managed knocks of nine and four runs in that Test, stated that the pitch was "horrible".

"When we went to South Africa (15 years ago), we got a horrible pitch at The Wanderers. There was a water shortage there; that's what we came to know of. But the overall situation has changed from even before we played there. There used to be pace and bounce.

"As a batter, I would say that South Africa is a challenging place to play Test cricket. In fact, South Africa and England are the hardest place to score runs. That's because of the lateral movement and the pace and bounce the fast bowlers get there. But as I said, the conditions have changed there lately.

"Sometimes you find too many cracks on the pitch and there's a bit of variable bounce (up and down). I am really surprised that these things have been happening there," Jaffer told News18.com.

India lost the next two Test matches but Jaffer registered his maiden Test ton on South African soil in the third Test of the series at the Newlands Cricket Ground in Cape Town.

The opener scored 116 runs to guide India to a first innings total of 414 but later the visitors were bundled out for 169 runs, setting up the target of just 211 for the home team to chase in the fourth innings. South Africa won that match by five wickets.

Recalling his Test hundred in South Africa, Jaffer said, "Obviously it (116 in the first innings) was one of my better knocks in Test cricket. I remember the pitch; it was very dry. It was like a subcontinent kind of pitch.

"It started to help the spinners after the third day. I have fond memories of scoring a century there. Getting runs against South Africa in South Africa is always special," recalled the former India opener.

Topics mentioned in this article

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