Proteas Test coach Shukri Conrad is “relishing the challenge” of taking on India in their own backyard later this year because “we know that they are beatable at home”.
The Proteas are due to tour the subcontinent for an all-format tour from 14 November until 19 December.
Conrad’s side will play two Test matches before the Proteas white-ball team faces the ICC Champions Trophy and T20 World Cup champions in three ODIs and five T20I’s.
The Proteas have not won a Test series in India for the past 25 years dating back to the 1999/00 2-0 series win under the captaincy of the late Hansie Cronje.
Conrad, who has led his team to the World Test Championship to be played at Lord’s in June, is not daunted by history, especially after the Black Caps recently completed a 3-0 whitewash over Rohit Sharma’s side on home soil.
“We'll go there with a lot of confidence and we'll obviously relish the challenge as well. That's what we want to do,” said Conrad.
“We just want to constantly be challenged and put our best foot forward and see how we can grow the unit and how our individuals can grow as well.
“And we know that they are beatable at home. I mean, we just saw New Zealand now beat them at home.
“I think what you're finding is that teams going to the subcontinent aren't as fearful anymore as they might have been in years gone by. They're finding different ways to skin the cat and guys are often nice and aggressive. And yeah, look, New Zealand 3-0, beating India in India, again, we'll take a lot of confidence from that, that teams go there and win.”
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The Proteas shared a two-match series with India in South Africa during the previous WTC cycle, but went to Bangladesh and won a first series on the subcontinent there for 12 years.
The Proteas also head off to Pakistan prior to the India tour for further preparation in how to be successful in Asian conditions.
“I think that confidence will stand us in good stead. The fact that we went to the subcontinent and did as well as we did, take the results away from it, just the manner in which we went about it, that gives us a great deal of confidence,” Conrad said.
“You know, when we get to Pakistan, I think the Pakistan series is also going to be really tough. We saw them turn the corner when they started making those wickets really spin.
“So, I think we kind of know what to expect and then, yeah, we just go ahead and prepare accordingly.”
Meanwhile, Proteas fast bowling spearhead Kagiso Rabada has returned from the IPL due to “personal reasons”.
Rabada has played the first two games of the IPL season in Ahmedabad, picking up two wickets, but did not take part in the Gujarat Titans’ eight-wicket win in Bangalore on Wednesday.
Proteas tour to India fixtures:
14-18 November: 1st Test, New Delhi
22-26 November: 2nd Test, Guwahati
30 November: 1st ODI, Ranchi
3 December: 2nd ODI, Raipur
6 December: 3rd ODI, Vizag
9 December: 1st T20I, Cuttack
11 December: 2nd T20I, New Chandigarh
14 December: 3rd T20I, Dharamsala
17 December: 4th T20I, Lucknow
19 December: 5th T20I, Ahmedabad