Boucher hails skipper Elgar

The Proteas are going to take a lot of confidence from their form in the last eight months.

They won Test series against the West Indies and the top-ranked Indians, drew with the reigning world Test champions in New Zealand, won 13 out of 16 T20 internationals and also hammered India 3-0 in an ODI series.

So there are definite signs of re-growth in a team that seems to have turned the corner under Mark Boucher (above) and Dean Elgar.

In a month’s time they will be playing another Test series, as they host Bangladesh in Durban and Gqeberha.

Coach Boucher is keen to keep climbing the World Test Championship table, having already taken crucial points off the two finalists of the previous edition. The 12 points gained this week in Christchurch moved South Africa into fourth place.

“It’s been a tough couple of months without a lot of time at home with our families and then there’s Bangladesh, which will be another tough series,” Boucher said.

“We are still very much in the World Test Championship and we will take confidence from this series in New Zealand and learn from our mistakes in the first Test. But it’s clear we are heading down the right road.”

Given the enormous resilience the team has shown in coming back from 1-0 down against both India and New Zealand, it was only fitting that Boucher should pay tribute to his captain Elgar for his leadership.

“Dean talks a lot but he follows it up with action,” Boucher said. “We knew we would be under pressure in the second game and we chatted about walking towards the challenge, not running away.

“We understood what was required in the second Test and there were a couple of brave calls, like Dean winning the toss and batting first. He’s the opening batsman and he fronted up and walked straight into the pressure.”