With their one-day misadventures consigned to the rubbish-bin, India can now focus on the real test. The faces and background may remain the same, but Test cricket is as different from the limited-overs version as a Rembrandt is from a Polaroid. Given their less-than-impressive Test record away from home, many would raise an eyebrow when we say that India have a much better chance of restoring some honour in the longer version of the game. How can they have a hope in hell against a team unbeaten on home soil against every team bar Australia, you might ask? The two sides met four times - India winning just once - in the recent one-day series, and each meeting gave India some valuable insights into the strengths and weaknesses of this South African team.

"Turn, Turn, Turn," sang the Byrds in the 1960s, and that's what the Indians will be praying for at Bloemfontein. Graham Ford's terse remarks about the sort of pitch that the groundsman should prepare betrayed some jitters on the hosts' part. The South African weakness against quality spin bowling is all too apparent, and there lies India's only hope of springing a surprise. In the one-day matches, the South Africans only had to contend with Harbhajan Singh and Anil Kumble for 20 overs. In the Tests, the field placements won't be so generous and the close-in cordon will send a sliver of sweat down the spines of men not at ease against the slower stuff.

Harbhajan was relentless against the Australians on home soil. Here he has Anil Kumble to back him up from the other end. The pitch at Goodyear Park may not be the ideal Indian dustbowl, and the ball won't be the high-seam SG variety, but this duo have enough quality to trouble the hosts. Herschelle Gibbs, Jacques Kallis and Lance Klusener can motor along on cruise-control against the pace bowlers, but spin causes their engines to splutter and cough. That was in evidence during the one-day series, when both Gibbs and Kallis had all manner of problems picking Harbhajan.

Allan Donald's home patch has staged only two Test matches, both dominated by the home pacemen. The ray of light for India comes from an analysis of South Africa's victory over Zimbabwe two years ago. Four wickets for Paul Adams in the second innings. That is the rainbow. The dark cloud? Shaun Pollock and Kallis both picked up seven wickets in that match. Last year, against Stephen Fleming's New Zealand side, Kallis scored a big hundred and Makhaya Ntini picked up six in the second innings.

Donald's absence has given the proceedings an air of anticlimax, a bit like True Grit without John Wayne. The onus will be on Pollock to deliver, as Nantie Hayward and Ntini are both inclined to be erratic. If the pitch lives up to its traditionally seamer-friendly billing, then Kallis could also play a big part.

India's batting brings to mind memories of that old football joke about "Them being better than us on paper but thank the Lord we're playing on grass". Only, it isn't funny any more. Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, Sourav Ganguly and VVS Laxman need to stand up and be counted abroad before they can even dream of being talked about in the same breath as men like Vivian Richards, Graeme Pollock and Greg Chappell. The litmus test for sporting greatness has always been the ability to triumph in hostile conditions. Sorry chaps, but until you manage that, you're no better than a playground bully.

The top of the order is cause for worry. Given that the warm-up match earlier this week was washed out, including Connor Williams would be like throwing a shallow-end paddler into the cold Atlantic. Expect no mercy from Pollock and Hayward if that's the case. Virender Sehwag may not be ideal for the opener's slot, but surely it's worth giving him a go? A natural strokemaker who has impressed even Geoffrey Boycott (how easy is that?), he might at least succeed in throwing the bowlers off their rhythm. The third scenario involves Rahul Dravid being sent up the order to open with Shiv Sunder Das.

Sameer Dighe should get the nod as keeper, more as a reflection on Deep Dasgupta's poor displays than any excellence on Dighe's part. One of the left-arm pacemen - most likely Zaheer Khan since he has slightly more experience - will join Javagal Srinath and the two spinners in the XI. If India decide to open with Dravid, the last slot will be a toss up between Ajit Agarkar and the other left-armer, Ashish Nehra. Agarkar looked sharp at times during his one-day outings, while Nehra's match fitness is still open to debate. Talk of Agarkar's allround ability is just wishful thinking, but he might just shade the last spot in the side. South Africa's inclusion of Nicky Boje is also rooted more in his batting ability than in any real belief that his insipid left-arm spin could do any real damage.

It could be a fascinating tussle. If India's Fab Four make some runs, Harbhajan Singh could turn the tables later in the match. For South Africa, the challenge is to prove that their own idols don't have feet of clay.

Teams
South Africa 1 Gary Kirsten, 2 Herschelle Gibbs, 3 Jacques Kallis, 4 Neil McKenzie, 5 Boeta Dippenaar, 6 Lance Klusener, 7 Shaun Pollock (capt), 8 Mark Boucher (wk), 9 Nicky Boje, 10 Nantie Hayward, 11 Makhaya Ntini.

India (likely) 1 Shiv Sunder Das, 2 Connor Williams, 3 VVS Laxman, 4 Sachin Tendulkar, 5 Sourav Ganguly (capt), 6 Rahul Dravid, 7 Sameer Dighe (wk), 8 Anil Kumble, 9 Harbhajan Singh, 10 Javagal Srinath, 11 Zaheer Khan.

Dileep Premachandran is assistant editor of Wisden.com India.

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