Batting coach JP Duminy believes that the South African team’s inexperienced players will improve significantly by facing challenging conditions and top-tier bowlers. The Proteas are currently struggling against a dominant Afghan spin attack, facing the prospect of a series whitewash after two heavy defeats at Sharjah Stadium in the UAE.
In their first match, the Proteas were bowled out for just 106 and lost by six wickets after opting to bat first. In the subsequent match, they collapsed again, scoring only 134 runs while chasing a target of 311, having initially been 73/1.
These batting issues are not a recent development; the Proteas have consistently faced challenges across all formats, including their struggle during the T20 World Cup, where they reached the final but struggled with bat in hand.
With key players like David Miller and Heinrich Klaasen absent, the team is relying on some newcomers. Duminy insists that to improve, the team must focus on gaining experience by playing more matches against high-quality opposition in unfamiliar environments.
"There isn’t a singular solution to our batting troubles; it’s a mix of elements," Duminy stated. "As Rob mentioned, players need more match experience. This series wasn’t on the calendar, but the opportunity against Afghanistan in these conditions is valuable.
"It provides exposure to foreign conditions and allows them to compete against players they wouldn’t typically face in South Africa. We can only grow by confronting these challenges early on, even if that means learning the hard way."
Duminy acknowledges that batting collapses are common in sub-continental conditions, especially against elite spin bowlers. Afghanistan’s Rashid Khan, for instance, wreaked havoc in the second ODI with figures of 5/19, leaving the Proteas' batters struggling to decipher his leg-spin.
"I’ve had my own share of experiences in the sub-continent, where such situations arise," Duminy reflected. "We faced one of the best spinners in the world, and it’s clear that certain players were caught off guard during critical moments because they couldn't read him.
"There’s no avoiding the reality; our performance in both matches was subpar. It’s essential that we critically assess ourselves and determine how to improve moving forward."