CENTURION, South Africa, CMC – Newly appointed Proteas captain Temba Bavuma says his side will be taking nothing for granted against West Indies, despite the visitors’ poor record on South African soil.
The Caribbean side have never won a series in South Africa and have not beaten the hosts in a Test series in 24 years.
Bavuma, who recently replaced Dean Elgar at the helm of the squad, said South Africa were bracing for a strong challenge from a side which played disciplined “old-fashioned cricket”.
“Looking at West Indies over the last while, they play old-fashioned cricket. Batters grind it out and bowlers are looking to hit their areas outside that off stump,” Bavuma said here yesterday, on the eve of the opening Test at SuperSport Park.
“They have got guys who can stand up to the challenge and they are well led by Kraigg Brathwaite.
“I think we’ve prepared as best as we can to play them like we would have done against any other team.
“They have good bowlers who can get the ball through nicely and that’s what you need in a country like South Africa. So we know we have our work cut out and we look forward to the challenge that awaits.”
South Africa will be highly motivated especially after losing their last two Test series, at home to Australia and away to England last summer.
They have made several changes for the West Indies series, dropping batsmen Rassie van der Dussen and Kyle Verreynne, along with fast bowler Lungi Ngidi, while recalling left-arm spinning all-rounder Senuran Muthusamy and batsmen Aiden Markram and Keegan Petersen.
Selectors have given in-form 25-year-old right-hander Tony de Zorzi a maiden call-up.
“I think it’s exciting times for all the guys involved. It’s the start of a new journey,” said Bavuma.
“We’d like to start with a clean slate and really go out there playing the way we want to play. I think you’re going to hear me saying that a lot – how we want to go about our business.
“That’s the exciting part. I’d like to see how it all looks like on the field of play. We come into the series against the West Indies wanting to win the series and that is what we’ll be aiming to do.”
South Africa enter the series as heavy favourites, having crushed West Indies in a two-Test series in the Caribbean two years ago when neither match went the distance.
The Proteas are ranked fourth in the ICC charts, four places above West Indies.