The success of India in recent tours of Australia has given South Africa the blueprint to maintain its own golden run and that will include being “in the faces” of the home team when the first Test starts in Brisbane on Saturday.
While the Aussies were taking care of an underwhelming West Indies side in Adelaide, the Proteas were getting the job done with bat and ball in a warm-up game in Brisbane that showed they would prove much more of a challenge.
South Africa has won the past three Test series in Australia, but the last tour was in 2016-17, more than five summers ago, with the last clash between the two countries dominated by the sandpaper controversy in 2018.
Touring captain Dean Elgar has already declared he thinks there will be some “spice” in the series between two teams who have a history of feisty encounters.
Batter Theunis de Bruyn, who could end a three-year absence from the Test team after making a powerful 88 off just 86 balls against a Cricket Australia XI last weekend, said the Proteas would be bringing their combativeness to the series because that’s what was required to win in Australia.
“I think you have to,” he said.
“Teams that have been successful here over the last few years are South Africa and India. Virat brought that to the Indian cricket team, playing in opposition’s faces.
“It doesn’t have to be verbally, but (with) body language and eye contact. It is not always easy in South Africa. We are used to having it tough.
“All we can do is front up to the Aussies, give it our best and play true to our DNA and be in their faces.
“Playing against Australia in their own conditions is something we as South Africans enjoy … that underdog tag or whatever you want to call it to really front up and fight.”
The significance of the series was not lost on de Bruyn either who said it provided the opportunity to do “something special” in his career that so far has netted 12 Tests, including a century against Sri Lanka.
“You might just be in the right place at the right time to do something special. That’s what we want, to be in that contest, to front up and be in for the fight,” he said.
“This is a Holy Grail series that you want to be a part of, so whatever happens, good or bad, it‘s one of those boxes you want to tick.”
“If I get the opportunity to play, I really want to take it in and enjoy the occasion. As a child, you dream of playing for the Proteas and the Holy Grail is playing a series Down Under.
“It‘s almost like wanting to play for the Springboks and you want to play against the All Blacks. It’s that same thing for us as cricketers back home, so I feel really privileged to be here and can’t wait for the first Test.”
