'The target is on our back': Bavuma dealing with WTC pressure | ICC World Test Championship | ICC

South Africa captain Temba Bavuma believes the best is still ahead for his side as they search for a series victory over Australia and a spot at next year's ICC World Test Championship Final.

Bavuma produced a Player of the Match performance when contributing a superb 179 during the Proteas' series-levelling second Test triumph over Australia in Gqeberha as South Africa stayed in touch with the World Test Championship pacesetters as they try and defend the mace they won at Lord's last year.

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Nearly everything went as planned for South Africa during the second Test, with Bavuma's innings stabilising the Proteas before Kagiso Rabada, Marco Jansen Wiaan Mulder and Co delivered with the ball to leave everything to play for in Cape Town.

While Bavuma was thrilled with the efforts of his side, he thinks there might be more to come from his side in the future as they learn to deal with the pressure of being the reigning World Test Championship winners.

"Sometimes as a team, we forget that the target is on our back and everyone wants to have a go at us," Bavuma said after the innings and 31-run victory over Australia.

"Everyone wants us to show our mettle as the current world champions, and everything that we do is under the microscope.

"Our performance in Durban was a realisation of that, but also a realisation of what it means coming up against super strong opposition."

While it was Jansen that received many of the plaudits for his five-wicket haul in Australia's first innings in Gqeberha, Bavuma said it was pace spearhead Rabada that led the way as he collected six scalps for the match after missing the first Test in Durban.

"He's massive value," Bavuma said of Rabada.

"When he's on the field, he assumes that responsibility and pressure of leading the attack and I believe it allows everyone else to kind of go about and do what they need to do.

"A guy like Marco (Jansen) in the first innings, him taking a five-for. And then in the second innings, Wiaan Mulder with crucial wickets.

"That's what a leader does. KG is not a big guy in terms of speeches. He'll speak whenever he sees fit. But with the figure that he is, he is inspiring in a lot of ways."

The Proteas will need to make at least one change for the series decider at Cape Town, with returning pacer Anrich Nortje hurting his groin during the second Test and fellow quicks Gerald Coetzee, Dane Paterson and Corbin Bosch now looming as his replacement.