Rabada upbeat despite slump

– The Proteas have lost their last four Test matches – their worst run in the format since they lost five in a row in 2005/06.

Over 13 years ago, the Proteas lost back-to-back series against the great Australian team of that era, going down 2-0 in Australia and then 3-0 at home.

This time around there is even more cause for concern.

South Africa’s 2019 losing streak started with a shocking 2-0 home series loss to Sri Lanka in February in what will be remembered as one of the worst home results ever produced by a Proteas Test side.

Along the way, they have lost the likes of Hashim Amla, Dale Steyn (from Test cricket), JP Duminy and Imran Tahir (from ODI cricket).

As Kagiso Rabada (below) said yesterday, this team is used to winning, so the events of the last few months have been tough.

The South African problems in India have not been limited to any one discipline.

The top order has struggled as a collective, the pace bowling has been largely toothless, and the spinners have struggled to find any penetration in conditions that should provide them with ample assistance.

“We’re obviously very disappointed. It’s never nice to lose, especially in the manner that we’re losing right now,” Rabada, now the spearhead of the Proteas fast bowling unit said.

It may be a transition period in the sense that there is a new coach at the helm in Enoch Nkwe, but the fact is that only Senuran Muthusamy and Anrich Nortje went into the second Test with less than 10 caps to their name.

Still, Rabada is looking to stay optimistic.

“It makes me determined to improve. We’ve been put under immense pressure and I don’t know if we can be put under any more pressure than that, so this pressure can hopefully produce something for us in the years to come,” he said. – Sport24

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