Touring India it is somewhat special for Hashim Amla, considering that he is the first South African of Indian descent to break into the national squad.
It was against India that he made his Test debut in Kolkata in 2004-05, but could not make an impression then. Even though he was one of South Africa's best talents in domestic cricket, he was unable to replicate his success to international cricket. He could not stake a permanent place in the team till the series against New Zealand late last year, when he scored successive centuries against the Kiwis in November and finally showed the world what he was capable of.
Desperate to make a mark in India, the 24-year-old played a flawless innings of 159 in the first innings of the drawn first Test in Chennai before following it up with another half-century in the second essay.
Special Correspondent Harish Kotian caught up Amla after the Test and got first-hand reactions on his century and South Africa's brilliant showing.
You played only one Test in India before this tour but did not score much. How does it feel to get off to such a good start in this Test series?
I am very happy. I want to thank the Almighty for giving me the opportunity. I am glad the series has got off to a good start.
How important was the good start provided by the openers Graeme Smith and Neil McKenzie in both the innings? Did it make your task a bit easier?
Without a doubt, every team wants a solid opening partnership. Graeme and Neil really played well upfront; so when you do come in the ball is older or the spinners are on. But you got to take your time to get in as well, because it is never easy coming in whether it's against the new ball or the spinners; and, as you all know, Indian spinners are quality bowlers, but it does help when you get a big score on the board.
Everybody knows the pitch was good for batting. But didn't the conditions make batting for a long innings difficult?
I think most of the batters will admit that the wicket was good, but, at the same time, it was not easy batting. The heat and humidity did play a huge factor, because concentration was not easy. And facing bowlers like Anil Kumble and Harbhajan Singh was not easy either. The wicket was good to bat on but there were a lot of challenges that I came across while batting.
How did you prepare for India, a country regarded one of the most difficult places to tour. Did the Bangladesh tour help?
The Bangladesh tour played a huge part in our preparation. A lot of team guys had come to India and the subcontinent before, so we tried to use Bangladesh as much as possible in our preparations. The Test matches that we played there, especially the first Test played in Dhaka, was not a easy match because the wicket was slow and turning. So we had plenty of practice with the turning ball. But, as you said, India is different and, thankfully, our first Test match here has gone well. The preparation has been really well, so we will have to see how the next Test match goes.
How does it feel to get a hundred in a country like India, where cricket is a passion?
It was my first hundred against a team other than New Zealand and my first hundred away from home, which is something I have aspired and desired. And getting my first hundred in a country like India is lovely.
What is so special about playing in India?
The atmosphere here is electrifying. The stadium may not be 100 percent full but the noise factor is very loud. I know the captain has a bit of trouble calling out to his players and we can barely hear him. It is really enjoyable playing here.
Were you surprised that the wicket was so good to bat on and the
Indian spinners could not make a mark?
The wicket was a good wicket to bat on. We knew that in the first innings it is usually a good time to bat because the ball won't spin as much and it doesn't traditionally assist the seamers. So we were not surprised that much. All batters got a good knock in and I hope the next Test is also the same.
How much confidence does it give you going into the second Test?
It gives the team a lot of confidence. As I said, a lot of our batters got some runs and spent some time in the middle; I think they can only get better from there. They will take a lot of confidence from their performance in this match.
