New Delhi [India], October 25: South Africa's stand-in captain, Aiden Markram, is optimistic about the team's prospects of qualifying for the ongoing World Test Championship final, set to take place in London in June 2025.
The Proteas recently ended a 10-year winless streak in the subcontinent by achieving a 7-wicket victory in their opening match against Bangladesh. Following this success, South Africa is now just five wins away from securing a place in the one-off Test final next year.
The second Test between South Africa and Bangladesh will commence on Tuesday in Chattogram. After this series, the Proteas are set to play two Tests each against Pakistan and Sri Lanka.
Ahead of the final Test against Bangladesh, Markram noted that confidence is growing within the team and expressed his belief that they can replicate their strong performance from the first Test.
"Winning in the subcontinent is a significant achievement for us and positively impacts the team environment. It creates a great atmosphere in the dressing room and reinforces our belief that we can compete in conditions that seem challenging. This experience gives us insight into playing cricket in the subcontinent," Markram said, as quoted by ICC.
"I don't think winning in the subcontinent is something South Africans will ever take for granted. However, the most important takeaway is the belief and confidence that we can succeed here as a team. Much of the game revolves around confidence and belief from a mental standpoint. This will aid the team in progressing and attempting to deliver consistent performances," he remarked.