India favourite against disintegrated Proteas: Jonty Rhodes

South Africa are set to tour India for three T20Is and as many Tests starting September 15, former South Africa batsman Jonty Rhodes feels that disintegrated Proteas are no match for India.

Chennai: It is not a great couple of months for South African cricket. After a disastrous show in the 2019 World Cup, Cricket South Africa (CSA) sacked head coach Ottis Gibson and brought a sea change to the team management.

A few days later, two of their Test stalwarts Hashim Amla and Dale Steyn announced their retirement from international cricket.

As South Africa are set to tour India for three T20Is and as many Tests starting September 15, former South Africa batsman Jonty Rhodes feels that disintegrated Proteas are no match for India.

He also believed that Virat Kohli & Co are favourites, especially in the oldest format of the game. The last time when Proteas toured India in 2015, the African side suffered a 0-3 defeat.

The fielding maestro also said, “The (Indian) team that has a happy dressing room often converts that into winning ways on the field. You need the personnel, but you also need a good environment. South Africa is kind of yes or no right now".

jonty rhodes said India favourite against disintegrated Proteas

CSA have opted for a European club football-style management setup after the Proteas' dismal show in England and Wales World Cup. They hired Enoch Nkwe as the provisional Team Director for the tour of India after dismissing the entire coaching staff headed by Gibson. Regarding this situation, Rhodes opined, “When you have an interim coach, it’s a difficult situation. Having played in the IPL, a few of the South Africa players are comfortable with the subcontinent. It’s not much of a unit th­at’s coming here. When the chips are down, you need the dressing room to stand up first. With the kind of results India have had at home, I don’t see much of a change in the scoreline.”The 50-year-old assumed that Proteas were not fully dependent upon Amla and Steyn in Tests but it is hard to find replacements of such calibre. Expressing his views on this matter Rhodes said, “South Africa ha­v­e­n’t had AB de Villiers for a year already and Steyn has been in and out because of injuries. Amla unfortuna­tely wasn’t in the best form. South Africa haven’t relied heavily on them. But in India, incredible players come through the ranks. South Africa, maybe, don’t have that exposure. The jump from state to international cricket is quite big.”