Proteas legend Dale Steyn has heaped praise on the South African Test team led by captain Temba Bavuma and coach Shukri Conrad.
The Test team is on course, if they beat Pakistan in their upcoming two-match series, to reach their first World Test Championship (WTC) final to be held at Lord’s in June next year.
Bavuma has been the standout batsman for the Proteas over the last five years as leader of a somewhat inexperienced team which is rising up.
South Africa have reached the summit of the WTC table, following their 2-0 series win over Sri Lanka earlier this month.
“We’re reaping the rewards now. Winning consistently to claim the number one spot isn’t easy. Shukri has assembled a solid squad, and his management of player workloads has been phenomenal,” Steyn told SportsBoom.com.
“Temba has been incredible! He’s faced criticism throughout his career but continues to deliver. He scores runs, leads the team, and never complains.
“The batsmen aren’t just chipping in; they’re delivering match-defining performances. Temba [Bavuma] being in form, have all contributed to building a strong Test unit.”
The combination of bowlers Kagiso Rabada and Marco Jansen has also been vital.
“That partnership with the ball is critical, and we’re seeing it with the bat too. Players like Tristan Stubbs and David Bedingham scoring centuries, alongside.
“You need a settled bowling unit, and we have that now. Keshav Maharaj has been exceptional, KG [Rabada] is always a threat, and Marco Jansen has become reliable. They’re consistently taking 20 wickets, both at home and abroad.”