Proteas deal with new kind of pressure as WTC title defence starts

At the start of the new World Test Championship cycle, Kyle Verreynne is looking back to the last one, drawing not just inspiration, but also tactical know-how.

Verreynne is one of the few players in the Proteas squad who’ve had a full red-ball programme in the four months since the World Test Championship final.

While the primary focus for the majority of the squad has been the limited overs formats, Verreynne played in both Zimbabwe Tests and then for Nottinghamshire, helping them win the County Championship.

“I feel like I’m in good form,” said Verreynne.

“But as much as you bring good form into a series, traveling around the world and playing in different conditions means the challenges are going to be quite different.”

Which is why, despite a demanding training camp before travelling to Pakistan, Verreynne was still leaning on the work he did a year ago, before the series in Bangladesh.

Then as now, the Proteas were expecting a trial by spin.

They certainly got that in the first Test in Dhaka, where Verreynne’s 114 rescued South Africa from a precarious position at 108/6 in the first innings and laid the foundation for a crucial victory.

“Going into the Bangladesh series last year there was a lot of chat about what it would mean if we won. The preparation we put in for that series is still quite fresh in our minds,” said Verreynne.

He explained that the players had high expectations of what could be achieved by winning that series, something similar to the pressure they felt going into the first Test in Pakistan.

Last year it was the possibility of reaching the WTC summit, this year it’s about defending that crown.

“Every team will want to beat us now, so it’s a different expectation,” he said.

Pakistan have leaned heavily on their spinners in their last two home series — one of which they won against England, while they drew the other to the West Indies.

But as was the case in that second Test against West Indies, the home team can also be on the wrong end of the result, when conditions are so favourable for spinners.

In January, West Indies left-arm spinner Jomel Warrican took nine wickets to lead his side to a 120-run victory, and Pakistan are wary of the Proteas doing something similar in the next fortnight.

“It won’t spin like it did during the England and West Indies series,” said Pakistan’s Test coach, Azhar Mahmood.

“It will definitely spin, but gradually as the match progresses.”

Though Keshav Maharaj is missing for the first Test as he completes rehab for a groin strain, the Proteas still have a trio of experienced tweakers who will thrive in conditions that assist spin.

It will be a severe examination for the batters on both teams but while Verreynne will, for the most part, use the sweep, he doesn’t expect his teammates to follow.

“I sweep a lot, I’ve had quite a bit of success doing that in the past when we’ve toured the subcontinent. We have to be committed to our own individual strengths. There are a lot of guys who don’t sweep, so you won’t see a whole batting group start sweeping now.”

South Africa last played in Pakistan in 2021, losing both Tests in that series.