Abu Dhabi T10 League:<\/b> Former South African all-rounder Lance Klusener believes consistency with the bat will be crucial for South Africa as they look to build on their emphatic response against Australia in the ongoing Test series, saying the team\u2019s World Test Championship triumph has already demonstrated their credentials but sustained contributions from the batting unit remain essential.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
South Africa bounced back from a heavy defeat in the opening Test in Durban with an innings victory in Gqeberha to level the series, setting up a decisive third contest. Klusener, currently serving as the head coach of the Arabian Aces in the Abu Dhabi T10 League, spoke to IANS on the sidelines of the tournament ahead of the series decider starting on Tuesday, assessing the Proteas\u2019 response and the challenges facing both teams.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n\r\n
For Klusener, South Africa\u2019s success in the World Test Championship final against Australia had already answered questions about the team\u2019s ability to compete against the strongest opposition. The emphatic victory in the second Test, he said, further demonstrated the side\u2019s character, although he cautioned that one outstanding performance would not be enough to guarantee sustained success.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cThe fact that South Africa won the World Test Championship really tells you that they\u2019re a good team. There was obviously some talk that they hadn\u2019t played Australia and probably India enough. So, it\u2019s nice to see that we\u2019ve been able to silence a few critics. Obviously, there\u2019s a game to go. We\u2019re all looking forward to that tomorrow. But they\u2019re a serious team. And to be able to bounce back and beat Australia by an innings as well just shows you the character, the challenges.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cIt\u2019s always about scoring enough runs. Temba was outstanding, 170-odd in the last Test match. They\u2019ll be looking to themselves, looking inwardly to make sure that more batters are contributing. Exciting things, obviously, two spinners and Keshav Maharaj and Simon Harmer, so we have those options. And then there are enough fast bowlers there to trouble any team. There\u2019s a lot of good ingredients, but consistency is the key going forward,\u201d Klusener told IANS.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n\r\n
South Africa\u2019s victory in Gqeberha was built on a commanding batting performance led by captain Temba Bavuma, whose substantial contribution helped put the team in a position to dictate terms. Klusener identified the need for other batters to provide similar support, arguing that the presence of a strong bowling attack must be matched by reliable run-scoring across the series.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n\r\n
He also highlighted the combination of spin and pace available to the Proteas, with Keshav Maharaj and Simon Harmer offering options in the slower-bowling department alongside a fast-bowling unit capable of challenging any opposition.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Australia, meanwhile, will be looking to respond after being dismissed for 99 in their first innings in Gqeberha. Klusener attributed the collapse to a combination of effective South African bowling and conditions that favoured the attack, while also pointing to the importance of batting application in Test cricket.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cI thought it was a combination of some really good bowling on conditions that probably suited the bowlers a little bit. I suppose Australia would go and look at themselves in terms of application in that situation. And even if they had managed to squeeze out another 80 or 90 runs, that could have well been the difference in that Test match in terms of just batting a little bit more time.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cSo, margins even in Test cricket are small. I\u2019m sure both teams would have had a look at a few things and, hopefully, going to read the conditions right when they get that opportunity tomorrow. But yeah, exciting times. Both teams have had a few things to look at. I\u2019m sure they\u2019ve done that. And I think the quality of the cricket in the third Test was going to be even better than what we\u2019ve seen so far,\u201d he said.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Even a modest addition to Australia\u2019s first-innings total, he suggested, might have changed the course of the second match, underlining the importance of patience and decision-making when conditions favour the bowlers. Beyond the immediate contest, Klusener believes the series has demonstrated why Test cricket continues to hold a distinctive place in the sport despite the growing influence of franchise leagues and shorter formats.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cThere\u2019s a balance. Test cricket is the ultimate examination of technique and character. And there\u2019s always going to be a place for that. But at the same time, the game is moving forward. We need to accommodate not only what cricketers want, but also what spectators want.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n\r\n
And that\u2019s the shorter ball format of the game.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cThe spinoffs from T20 cricket, for example, have been immense, not just from a spectator or from a monetary point of view. We see those benefits in Test cricket now. I\u2019m sure there are people that have come back to watch Test cricket because T20 has maybe sparked their interest. So the shorter format has most definitely impacted cricket in general in a big way, not just from a cricketing skills point of view, but from a spectator point of view as well,\u201d he opined.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n\r\n
And that\u2019s the shorter ball format of the game.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Also Read: <\/b> Special Cricket Stories<\/a><\/p>\r\n\r\n