South Africa captain Aiden Markram says his side expects to be a prime target as they begin the new cycle of the World Test Championship (WTC) as defending champions.
Markram is standing in as skipper for Temba Bavuma, who has been ruled out of the tour with a calf strain.
The Challenge of Being Champion
South Africa starts its campaign with a two-Test series in Pakistan, beginning this Sunday, followed by two matches in India in November. The team is looking to retain the trophy they secured in June by beating Australia by five wickets at Lord’s. The WTC cycle lasts two years, culminating in a one-off final between the top two teams.
Markram acknowledged the pressure of their champion status. “I suppose you create a bit of a target on your back if you’ve won (the WTC), and if that’s the case, it’s fair,” he said on Monday. “We want to chase a place in the final again and lift that trophy once again but realise each team will be coming for us.”
He stressed the importance of adaptation, stating, “We, as a team, have to keep getting better and improving and playing well in all different types of conditions. It starts for us in Pakistan, and it’s a challenge the boys will be up for.”
Specific Training for Subcontinent Conditions
The South African squad has tailored its preparation to address the unique challenges of playing in Asia, specifically focusing on exaggerated spin and low bounce.
- Spin Preparation: At Pretoria’s High Performance Centre, the team practised on specially prepared wickets with spin that was “really exaggerated,” Markram noted. He explained they prefer to “err on that side” in hopes that conditions in Pakistan might then feel slightly easier.
- Low Bounce: The team expects to face significant spin and anticipates seam bowling being “a lot skiddy” due to the natural lower bounce in the region. They have put “a lot of emphasis on finding a way to train for that,” despite the difficulty of mimicking those precise conditions in South Africa.
The first Test against Pakistan takes place in Lahore on Sunday, with the second Test scheduled to begin on October 20 in Rawalpindi.
