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- Besides Bavuma, South Africa must do without lead spinner Keshav Maharaj
- South African captain Aiden Markram says that is all part of the challenge
LAHORE: South African stand-in captain Aiden Markram said home side Pakistan were well within their rights to prepare extreme turning wickets for their two-test series, which starts in Lahore on Sunday, as they did last year to beat England.
Their 2-1 series win over England a year ago came after they had used a pair of giant windbreaks, two outsized fans and six patio heaters to accelerate the deterioration of the pitch and create a surface that offered spinners maximum turn and grip.
It was a successful ploy as they came back from losing the first test to trump England in conditions that losing captain Ben Stokes called “pretty extreme”.
But Markram, who leads South Africa in place of injured skipper Temba Bavuma, said that was all part of the challenge.
“We saw how things turned out in the English series,” he told a press conference on Saturday. “That was obviously Pakistan's way of trying to win, and it's completely fair, and we look forward to that challenge.”
South Africa had worked hard in preparing, he added, creating wickets with extreme spin to practice on at a training camp before their departure.
“That's where most of the focus has been, naturally looking forward to the challenges that Pakistan pose in terms of spin-friendly tracks.
“As a team that's not exposed to those conditions, it's exciting for us and a great opportunity to get things right in these conditions. We're trying to put a lot of the focus there, and ultimately put five days of good cricket together for the first Test.”
Besides Bavuma, South Africa must do without their lead spinner Keshav Maharaj, who misses the first Test as he recovers from a groin strain.
“We’ll miss Kesh heaps,” Markram told reporters. “He's incredible, even when the ball doesn't spin, so it's a big loss for us but it's an opportunity for two or three other new spinners of ours to put their hand up and stake a claim, which is really exciting.”
Senuran Muthusamy and Simon Harmer, who last played a test two years ago, are likely to be in the team.