(The author, Amrit Mathur, was the manager of the Indian cricket team that toured South Africa for the first time in 1992 and also the 2003 World Cup in South Africa)

It's been 25 years since India and South Africa started playing cricket, and the current series is advertised by the broadcaster as an epic clash where India will settle past accounts and wipe out previous losses.

The message that’s being repeated loudly is that India want revenge to 'make up' for various defeats and perceived insults, including some to our cricket God Sachin Tendulkar. Of course, this is an unnecessary hype, non-serious stuff, and just a silly marketing ploy to create interest in the series.

Sports depends on rivalries and the spin masters promoting the series are busy creating the right buzz ahead of the three-match Test series, starting 5 January.