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South Africa's conquest of the subcontinent will be complete if they manage to beat India in the three-Test series which got under way today.
Series wins against Pakistan and Bangladesh have underlined South Africa's confidence in tackling the slow and low wickets in the subcontinent. A couple of years ago, they beat Sri Lanka convincingly at home.
India will prove the most difficult one to tackle yet. They have a string of quality players who can take on the best in the world. On home soil, they will be even more difficult to dislodge.
The focus will once again be on the deadly South African pace battery who have performed admirably of late. The danger man is Dale Steyn.
In the last few months, Steyn has transformed himself into one of the premier fast bowlers in the world. His performances in the subcontinent have also confirmed his status.
This will be Steyn's real test. Bowling to players like Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, Saurav Ganguly and VVS Laxman will be a learning curve for the fast bowler.
South Africa will have overcome the quota rumpus and emotional strains which have hit their preparations. This will not be easy. Andre Nel, at the centre of the row, has been part of the South African setup for a while now.
He is an example for cricketers all around the world for his unflinching commitment to his country. One of the game's greatest characters, Nel will be sorely missed.
Charl Langeveldt has also become a hero for seeking removal from the team over the quota system.
South Africa must put the issues on the back burner as they did during the tour of Bangladesh when coach Mickey Arthur got involved in a similar row.
India face mental pressure of a different kind. They are still basking in the glory of their one-day series win in Australia.
That has now become history and it better be left there. Test cricket is a different cup of tea and India will have to pool all their resources together if they have to beat South Africa. There is a nagging feeling that India may become overconfident after their success in Australia and may underestimate the South Africans.
Hopefully, a mature and sensible captain like Anil Kumble will bring them back to the real world.
Injury to key players like Ishant Sharma and Zaheer Khan won't help. Sharma was the find of the Australian tour and it is hoped that he gets fit to take part at a later stage.
With Virender Sehwag now likely to partner Wasim Jaffer at the top of the order, India's opening slot looks secure once again. Sehwag also adds much needed aggression at the top of the order.
India's middle-order looks strong and in form. Dravid has also got his touch back in the domestic leagues and this augurs well for the team.
It's a shame that Yuvraj will have to sit out once again. Though out of form for various cricketing and non-cricketing reasons, Yuvraj will be the backbone of the Indian side in the future. The faster he gets in again, the better.
Steyn's performance could well determine the outcome of the series. The Indian batsmen will have to go hard at him from the start and not allow him to dictate terms. That will be the way to stop South Africa's subcontinent juggernaut from rolling on.
