Just days after their historic Test triumph against India at the iconic Eden Gardens Stadium in Kolkata on Sunday, Proteas coach Shukri Conrad says the job is still not yet done.
The Proteas, under the leadership of captain fantastic Temba Bavuma, recorded their first Test win in India since 2010 and first at Eden Gardens since 1996, coming out on top by 30 runs after what was a pulsating three-day Test match.
However, despite the team still being in celebratory mode, Conrad urged his side that the job is still far from being over, as they are targeting a clean sweep and winning the Test Series against India.
Win the series, not a match
“The job is far from done. You don’t come to a country to win a Test match; you obviously want to win the series,” Conrad said.
“But I am so proud of this group in terms of the belief they’ve got and how they pull together as a unit. It will do wonders for our psyche going forward.
“So, I’m sure the boys will celebrate hard – they’ve got two extra days to recover – but Guwahati will present its own challenges, and I’m quietly confident that we’ll be up to the task there as well.”
The World Test Champions will tackle India in the second Test in Guwahati, and Conrad admitted that their recent Test win will give them confidence this weekend.
“You want to create an environment and a belief in the side that they shouldn’t be surprised when they do certain things, when they come to India and beat them.
“It’s tough—it’s a massive achievement—but this is what we’re able to do, and hopefully we’ll be able to do that in Guwahati as well. It certainly sets it up beautifully,” he added.
South Africa and India will begin their second test and series decider at the Barsapara Stadium in Guwahati on Saturday morning.
