Countering Bumrah before spinners come into play will be key for South Africa: Graeme Smith

South Africa will have to find a way to deal with the lethal opening spells of India's lead pacer Jasprit Bumrah before the spinners come into play in the two-Test series beginning on Friday, said Graeme Smith on Wednesday.

Smith said neither team would want to lose wickets to pacers before spin comes into play.

“I think it's never at the forefront of people's conversation when you play cricket in the subcontinent but I think the South African team will definitely be preparing for how they're going to handle spin,” SA20 league commissioner Smith told the media here.

“But getting off to a solid start, having a top three that can lay a platform for you, there's nothing worse than if you go two or three down and then the spinners come on and you're against the game already.

“So countering Bumrah up front is going to be a big thing, and Rabada as well for India. They're world-class bowlers with world-class Test records,” he said.

Smith said it will be a challenge in particular for Rabada to set the tone for the team with the new ball.

“This is a big challenge for KG… coming to the subcontinent. He's definitely the leader of the attack and how he can set the tone with that new ball is going to be important for Temba (Bavuma) and the team,” he said.

The former skipper said South Africa batters will have to “step up” in the first Test at Kolkata.

“The fact that a lot of the players with the A-team games and obviously that (Pakistan) Test series have played a bit of cricket in the subcontinent, which is always important. Your game needs to adapt, your thinking needs to adapt to be able to play here,” he said.

“I'm hoping that with the first Test in Kolkata, it's generally quite a good place to bat. You get good value for runs and it's a stadium that especially if it's full (it) will really make the South Africans motivated to do well in.”

Smith said it will be crucial for Bavuma's team to start well as making comebacks in the subcontinent is never easy.

He also noted that South Africa's spin attack comprising Keshav Maharaj and the experience Simon Harmer can do the damage but said how the Rabada-led pace attack handles reverse swing would be vital.

“South Africa (have) arrived here with a decent bowling attack, especially in the spin department. Maharaj and Harmer can definitely do (the) damage,” he said.

“They can control the game and they have the ability to turn the ball which is wicket-taking options with spin and then to see how Rabada and the likes handle reverse swing.”

Smith quipped his former teammate Morne Morkel, now India's bowling coach, is an enemy.

“You know he's an enemy now. Morne is on the wrong side of the fence,” he joked.

Former captain Faf du Plessis seconded Smith in underlining that South Africa will have to start well in the series as comebacks are never easy.

“I feel generally your best chance of having success here is when you start the series well and you, especially as a batting unit, get a bit of confidence that you've got runs under the belt and you almost put the conditions a little bit out of your head,” he said.

“Then the rest of the series definitely will feel easier versus starting and you're under pressure and it's (a) low score (and) you lose the first Test, ball spinning a bit more. Then it's that expectation that it's going to be a hard tour for the team.”

Du Plessis said South Africa are not short on confidence for having had a successful run in Tests over the last year.

"The guys have played really well in the subcontinent for the last 12 or 14 months. When they've gone to Pakistan, they've played well,” he said.

“I'm expecting the wickets to be very much suited for spinning conditions. But it seems like the guys have really worked hard on it."