‘We should’ve prepared more mentally’
RANCHI: Staring at a drubbing in the three-match Test series, South African batsman Zubayr Hamza on Monday admitted they should have been better prepared mentally before embarking on what has been a nightmarish India tour.
The 24-year-old got a chance in the Ranchi Test after an injury to Aiden Markram and the youngster impressed with an aggressive 62 in the first innings -- the only highlight for the visitor on a day it lost 16 wickets.
“I will just say that maybe we should have prepared more mentally in terms of playing them in whatever conditions that we faced,” Hamza said at the end of day three’s proceedings in the third Test. The series also marked the dominance of Indian pacers who overshadowed the spinners at home.
“Indians are extremely disciplined and professional about the way they go about doing the job. So I wouldn’t say we were under prepared against the seamers. “I would say based on the general thought of playing in India, you’d assume that it would be tougher to play against the spinners. In saying that we knew, obviously first have to get through the quick bowlers that they’ve got.”
“To have almost been bowled out twice in just less than two days, it’s pretty poor from our side. It’s been tough. I think we struggled to build partnerships.
“So from our side with the bat I think we struggled in terms of our defence, and they bowled pretty attacking lines and I think that’s been the key for them. I just think we haven’t been good enough to keep those good balls off,” the youngster said, giving an assessment of the South African batting.