Cheteshwar Pujara could hold the key for India against South Africa: Barry Richards

Barry Richards, one of the game's greats, believes that the upcoming India-South Africa series will be a closely-fought affair. The 70-year-old South African spoke to TOI on what makes AB de Villiers a difficult batsman to bowl to, the qualities that he has noticed in Cheteshwar Pujara's batting and much more. Excerpts:

Your take on the South African side picked for the India tour?

I see a lot of quality in this South African team. They have some fine batsmen such as AB de Villiers, Hashim Amla in their ranks and it's a good all-round bowling unit too.

You have often rated Virat Kohli and Dale Steyn highly. Do you think their duel will be the highlight of the series?

I would like to believe so. Virat Kohli has been in good nick of late, and Dale Steyn knows the conditions well in India. However, it will be up to the pitches that are provided during the series. If Steyn gets the type of pitches where there is a bit of bounce, then it could be a good contest.

The Indians will have special plans for AB de Villiers. Having watched him closely, what is it about AB that makes him such a difficult batsman to bowl to?

Every team prepares for a player of AB's quality. AB has more than one shot for any ball bowled to him. Plus, he has the ability to hit you anywhere in the ground, and that can be unnerving for any bowler. That's not all. He can shift gears as per the situation in a game and these things make him one of the most destructive and dependable batsmen in world cricket today.

What can the Indian bowling unit do to stop AB?

It depends on the condition he comes into bat. If South Africa are a few wickets down for not many on the board, the plan will be to attack. The type of field set will solely depend on the state the match is in when he comes in to bat.

Among the current crop of Indian batsmen, who impresses you the most?

Indian batting line-up looks good and has some fine players. But Cheteshwar Pujara, according to me, looks calm and composed at the crease and could hold the key for India. I see his willingness to excel each time he arrives at the crease. Pujara appears to be someone who is ready to give nothing but the best which is what any captain expects from his player.

Do you feel the aggression that Kohli exhibits on the field will make India a more competitive outfit?

Kohli comes across as someone who will give it his all for the team. He is a naturally aggressive player who has talent and has been successful over a long period of time. In what ways Kohli's aggression will affect the Indian team is something we will have to wait and see.

What's your take on Ishant Sharma who seemed effective against Sri Lanka?

Ishant Sharma did very well during that series. Having played eight years of international cricket, Ishant knows what works for him and that's a good sign. If he maintains his fitness, he will definitely be successful.

South Africa remains one of the few teams to have tasted success in India during their previous tours. Do you see the trend continuing this time around too?

As I mentioned earlier, it will all depend on the pitches they play on. I reckon it will be a closely-fought series where a Steyn five-for or an AB special or a Kohli century would turn the tide. South Africa would obviously not give an inch but they will have a tough task at hand since India at home are a formidable unit.