OPINION: SA v India — where has all the excitement gone?

There was a time when an Indian cricket team’s arrival in South Africa generated all sorts of interest and excitement.

In fact, any major sporting team coming to these shores for competition was greeted at the airport by journalists hoping for a quick interview. Television cameras and photographers were also often waiting for the big-name stars to set foot in our country.

Not anymore.

Teams now arrive and head off to their hotels with hardly anyone even noticing. A colleague asked me this week if India were even in the country. I said I didn’t know, but I assume they would have arrived earlier this week.

If you didn’t know, India’s T20 team take on the Proteas in a four-match series starting in Durban on Friday.

Do cricket fans even know the series is happening?

I then mentioned to said colleague that the build-up to the series was almost non-existent.

I wonder how many sports fans actually know and are aware of this series taking place. Has cricket in this country really fallen so out of favour? Or am I missing something … do all cricket fans know about the four upcoming matches and are they all thrilled and excited to get to the grounds and watch the action?

This series is, after all, a repeat of the recent T20 World Cup final between the teams which took place in the Caribbean in June. On that occasion, the Indians won, by seven runs, but the Proteas were very much in the game, and they’ll certainly be out for some revenge in Durban, Gqeberha, Centurion and Joburg.

Of course, it’s never the best thing when a team goes on tour, in this case India, and their best players stay at home, to prepare for another series, in this case a Test series against Australia in Australia, starting November 22. Sure, it’s set to be a cracking five-match series Down Under and will draw plenty of attention, but so, too, should any limited overs series between India and the Proteas.

The Proteas are back to full-strength as well after their recent trip to the UAE for matches against Afghanistan and Ireland, so let’s see what they can do against this under-strength India side, and whether the fans will get into the series as well.