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By Muhammad Shafique Raja
RAWALPINDI, Oct 19 (APP): South Africa’s stand-in captain Aiden Markram has expressed confidence in his team’s ability to stage a strong comeback in the second Test against Pakistan, saying the Proteas are determined to level the two-match series when play begins at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on Monday.
The defending champions suffered a 93-run defeat in Lahore in their opening fixture of the ICC World Test Championship 2025–27 cycle, but Markram said the side remained upbeat and motivated to bounce back strongly.
Addressing a press conference at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on Sunday, Markram said the return of experienced left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj had provided a timely boost to the squad.
“It’s great to have him back in the camp. He brings a lot of experience and a really good skill set as well,” the skipper remarked. “For us, the goal is to level the series and keep improving in these conditions.”
Having inspected the pitch briefly, Markram said it looked “pretty good to the eye” but expected spin to play a crucial role once again.
“We’re expecting it to spin — we anticipated that from day one,” he said. “We’ve done our homework after the first game and come up with new plans to counter it. Hopefully, that gives us a better chance of success.”
Comparing the conditions in Rawalpindi with those in Lahore, where Pakistan took a 1–0 lead, Markram said his team was preparing for a similar challenge.
“We’ll have to assess how quickly it starts to spin, but we’re planning with that in mind,” he added.
The Proteas skipper said he had spent extra hours in the nets fine-tuning his approach for subcontinental tracks.
“I’ve been working on ideas that suit my game. Mentally, I feel in a good space and very hungry to contribute and lead from the front,” he said. “We’ll play with our hearts on our sleeves and give it a good fight.”
Reflecting on South Africa’s previous tour of Pakistan in 2021, Markram said conditions were likely to differ this time but adaptability would be key to their success.
“It’s about assessing quickly and backing your plans as a batsman,” he noted. “Once you decide on a plan, you stick with it.”
Pakistan lead the series 1–0 after their victory in Lahore, while South Africa will be hoping to restore parity when the second Test begins on Monday at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium.