Mental Aptitude Key As Proteas Prepare To Take On Australia In Second Test

South Africa’s Proteas will need to sharpen up on both their batting and bowling, but the real improvement must come from the mental side of their approach as they look to level the test series against Australia.

Captain Temba Bavuma says the team’s mental aptitude needs sharpening and more fight is required for the second test, which starts at St George’s Park in Gqeberha in the Eastern Cape on Sunday.

South Africa, who are the world test champions, were handed an emphatic 214-run defeat by Australia in the first test, which ended at Kingsmead in Durban on Tuesday and are already behind in the three-match series.

“It’s not the way you want to start any kind of series, let alone against a top outfit like Australia,” Bavuma said at a press conference, attended by FORBES AFRICA.

“There are obvious things that we could improve on, whether it’s from a batting or a bowling point of view. No-one is happy in that changeroom.”

Whether it is shot selection or changing the bowling line up for the second test, the key, says Bavuma, is in the head.

“Our guys definitely weren’t throwing caution to the wind and playing recklessly. But there was a level of pressure that some of the guys weren’t accustomed to. They put us under pressure, took command of the game, and in our second innings, there was just not enough fight and mental aptitude from us,” he said.

South Africa are likely to drop one of their spinners for the second test and bring back talismanic fast bowler, Kagiso Rabada.

Bavuma said Rabada was on course for a return after his hamstring injuries, having been left out of the first test as a precautionary measure to allow for more recovery time.

There could also be some changes in the batting line-up, although coach Shukri Conrad did warn after the game that any drastic changes could prove detrimental.

South Africa’s record at St George’s Park is mixed. They have 15 wins along with 13 defeats and five draws, and while they have won the last two Tests there against Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, they lost the two before that.

The Proteas did win the 2018 fixture against Australia, batting second as they chased down 101 for victory.

Rabada was the star of that game, taking 11 for 150 with Australia offering no answer to his raw pace.