Ken Borland

Proteas captain Dean Elgar has been urging his players, comprehensively beaten in the first Test last week and then shocked by Quinton de Kock’s retirement, to lift themselves up and toughen up mentally for the second Test against India which starts at the Wanderers on Monday.

While one new face is definite, Kyle Verreynne replacing De Kock behind the stumps, Elgar said other changes were also being discussed. But any alterations are likely to be minor as the captain made it clear on Sunday that he still backs his players and they have to find it within themselves to simply be better in the crucial second Test.

“There’s no need to panic, we have a lot of capable players, even if some of them are inexperienced, and they need to take responsibility,” Elgar said. “It’s extremely important to back them, that’s how you build and grow a team.

“They’re not suddenly bad players, they just need to be mentally more switched on. They need to understand Test cricket is bloody tough. It’s a harsh environment and you need to ask yourself tough questions and then respond.

“The batsmen are up against some of the best bowlers in the world now and they need to put on their big-boy pants. I can talk and talk, but we need to see a reaction now, otherwise the talk is cheap.

“We’ve had quite a few setbacks in recent times, these are just another couple that we need to get over and be clever around. We have to get over it and move on,” Elgar said.

It seems certain that South Africa are not going to sacrifice spinner Keshav Maharaj in order to play an extra batsman or pace bowler either.

“I think the Wanderers pitch will play a lot better than it has recently, it’s going to be more batsmen-friendly, a better cricket wicket. But the batsmen have to put their hands up and take responsibility.

“Sometimes you choose an attack based on horses-for-courses, but Kesh is very adaptable, a very smart cricketer whose record speaks for itself. I always favour having a frontline spinner.

“Being a left-arm spinner to 10 right-handers in the Indian batting line-up, that’s something to utilise. Tactically we need to be much better and Kesh has an extremely big role to play in this series.

“With the conditions as they are now, I would think Kesh is going to play. He stabilises our bowling, I know I can throw the ball to him and he will keep down the run-rate. He gives us better options,” Elgar said.

South Africa, chasing a record-breaking 305 to win on a deteriorating pitch, were no match for a ruthless Indian attack at SuperSport Park on Thursday as they were bowled out for 191 to succumb to a 113-run defeat in the first Test.

The Proteas began the final day on 94/4 and India claimed three wickets before lunch and then wrapped victory up with ridiculous ease after the break as the last three wickets fell in the first two overs.

Captain Dean Elgar, who batted for more than four hours in scoring his tenacious 77, was the key wicket to fall before lunch, India’s strike bowler Jasprit Bumrah switching to around the wicket and trapping the left-hander lbw.

Temba Bavuma batted with similar grittiness to his captain, finishing on 35 not out off 80 balls. Quinton de Kock (21) was the only other batsman to score more than 20, but he seemed to be chasing runs rather than trying to save the match and a third loose waft outside off stump saw him chop the ball into his own stumps off Mohammed Siraj.

Elgar admitted that his team had been chasing the game from the first day when poor bowling allowed India to rack up 272/3.

“If the opposition are only three down at the end of Day 1 here, then you’re always going to struggle,” Elgar said. “Them scoring more than 300 after winning the toss and batting first was a massive positive for them.

“But we were behind on runs throughout the four days. There were a lot of learnings for us, we need to get the basics of the game right and we did not have that from a batting point of view.

“It’s never easy against the new ball here, but the top-order know what it’s about. But if you get a good one then you go and watch the rest of the innings.

“They utilised the new ball to a T and their batsmen left very well, especially in the first hour of that first session. Our batsmen need to capitalise on starts,” Elgar said.

Jasprit Bumrah, with 3/50 in 19 overs and Mohammed Shami with 3/63 in 17, were the chief demolishers for India, although Siraj took 2/47 and off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin claimed the last two wickets off successive balls to finish with 2/18.

“We had a lot of belief in our bowling unit to get the job done,” India captain Virat Kohli said. “Just the way these guys bowl together, it’s a hallmark of our team, getting a result from that position with a day washed out.

“Shami is an absolutely world-class bowler, among the top-three seam bowlers in the world for me. I’m very, very happy for him to get 200 Test wickets and have an extremely impactful performance,” Kohli added.

South Africa’s blundering batsmen were no match for India’s potent bowling attack on a boobytrap-laden SuperSport Park pitch as they were bowled out for 191 in their second innings on Thursday to lose the first Test at Centurion by 113 runs.

Only Dean Elgar, with 77 in more than four hours at the crease, and Temba Bavuma, who scored 35 not out off 80 balls, were able to keep abreast of the demands of batting on the final day, as South Africa were set 305 to win, which would have been a record chase at Centurion.

Despite the best efforts of Elgar and Bavuma, India were closing in on victory at lunch as they reduced South Africa to 182/7.

The end came ridiculously quickly after the break as Marco Jansen was caught behind for 13 in Mohammad Shami’s first over and off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin then took the last two wickets with successive balls in the following over.

Kagiso Rabada boobed by playing an expansive drive without getting anywhere near the pitch of the ball and looping a catch to backward point, with Lungi Ngidi then turning his first ball straight to leg slip.

South Africa had resumed on the final morning on 94/4. Elgar, who had survived for more than three hours on the fourth afternoon, battled on for another 45 minutes on Thursday before the outstanding Jasprit Bumrah eventually got the better of the Proteas captain.

Having recently switched to around the wicket to the left-hander, Bumrah zipped a delivery back into the batsman, trapping him lbw for a tenacious 77, made in 243 minutes off 156 balls.

Bavuma and Elgar had added 36 for the fifth wicket and the vice-captain continued to show great composure through the entire morning session, going to lunch on 34 not out.

None of the other South African batsmen have put such hefty prices on their wickets, which is why the home side once again failed to reach 200, never mind 300.

Quinton de Kock scored a carefree 21 but was not playing the situation, which required really tight, disciplined batting, and his third loose waft outside off stump brought his downfall, edging Mohammed Siraj into his stumps.

Shami then returned to the attack and his second delivery was bang on the money, a fraction outside off stump and straightening, with extra bounce, and Wiaan Mulder could only get a thin edge to a fine ball, being caught behind for a single.

Bumrah was the best of the bowlers with 3/50 in 19 overs, while Siraj took 2/47 in 18 overs and Shami 3/63 in 17.

South Africa are chasing a record-breaking 305 to win the first Test against India at Centurion and, sadly for the home side, they are already four wickets down heading into the final day, with Kagiso Rabada honest enough to say the tourists’ attack are showing exactly why they are so highly-rated.

Mohammed Shami, Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj are a trio of demolishers that are even more deadly on a SuperSport Park pitch that is offering prodigious movement and variable bounce with some deliveries standing up and others scuttling through low.

“India have quality bowlers. Shami and Bumrah are experienced now and Siraj has been bowling well recently too. It’s a good attack, full of pace and skill. They have showed why people say they are so good,” Rabada said after close of play on the fourth day on Wednesday.

Rabada also enjoyed bowling on the SuperSport Park pitch on Wednesday, taking 4/42 in 17 lively overs. Things went much better for South Africa with the ball in the second innings as they bowled India out for just 174, giving themselves an outside chance of winning the game.

“We tightened up our lines today, but the pitch was also a bit slow on Day 1 and then it has obviously quickened up. That made the movement quicker and gives the batsman less time to react, the ball shoots through more.

“But this game is definitely still winnable for us, we have to show belief. We will strategise and work out how to approach the final day overnight. But we have to believe, you need that.

“There has been some chat about when it will or won’t rain, but that’s an uncontrollable and we have to come out tomorrow thinking we will play a full day’s cricket,” Rabada said.

The leader of the Proteas attack also had some kind words for his co-paceman Marco Jansen, who also took four wickets in the Indian second innings to complete a satisfactory debut.

“Marco is a phenomenal talent as everyone has now seen. He’s tall so he gets bounce, but he also swings the ball. He’s got it all – pace, bounce and swing.

“He’s justified his selection and he’s a hard-worker who wants to learn and is really keen to do well for the team,” Rabada said.

But on the final day, South Africa’s hopes will rest with captain Dean Elgar, who has scrapped for more than three hours and is 52 not out.

“Dean has done this countless times, fighting when things are at their toughest. He knows the job is not over, but he’s doing his best for the country, the team and himself. He’s leading from the front,” Rabada said.