Virat Kohli and boys must frustrate South African pacers by leaving short-pitched deliveries: Amre

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New Delhi, Jan 3: Former India batsman Pravin Amre had entered an elite club in Indian cricket after slamming a century on his Test debut. Amre notched up his ton on the bouncy pitch of Durban during India's maiden tour of South Africa in 1992.

After retiring from cricket he took up coaching and current India international Ajinkya Rahane is one his students. Rahane has trained under his watchful eyes since childhood. The right-handed batsman who was struggling with form in 2016, went back to his childhood coach to prepare for the challenging South Africa tour.

Amre seems optimistic about Virat Kohli-led Indian team’s performance in the forthcoming three-Test series, starting from 5th January at Cape Town.

Speaking from Mumbai over the phone, the 49-year-old middle-order batsman said, “First of all there are a couple of batsmen in the current Indian squad who possess the experience of playing in South Africa previously. So, it is not that all the players are new and inexperienced. Secondly, South Africa has excellent bowling line-up no doubt, but at the same time, Indian batting line-up is also very strong. So I am expecting a thrilling encounter between them.”

Amre, who played 11 Tests for India and finished with an average of 42.50, only cautioned the Indian batsmen about their temperament.

He added, “Indian batsmen must have to remember one thing, that is to keep cool. Bowlers like Dale Steyn, Vernon Philander, Kagiso Rabada and Morne Morkel will continuously try to offer accurate and incisive short-pitched deliveries to Kohli and his mates. The Indians must have to let those deliveries through to the wicketkeeper if they want to play longer.

"I can still remember in Durban Test in 1992, Alan Donald also had offered me lots of sharp and accurate short-pitched deliveries that were aimed at my rib cage. I pulled and hooked some of those deliveries. But I also left them on most occasions. Any fast bowler who tries to dominate batsman by executing short-pitched deliveries gets frustrated when the batsman continuously leaves those balls with confidence.”

Amre, however, is also hopeful that his protégé Rahane will bounce back in the series. Amre clarified, “Like Alastair Cook (in the ongoing Ashes series), Ajinkya will also come back and score runs during this series. I know he is determined and hard working.”