JOHANNESBURG - Sarfraz Ahmed is an engaging sort. Ready with a smile, effusive, tough and looking forward to how his side plays here.
Yes he’s under pressure, he’s the captain of Pakistan after all. He rates his team’s chances of winning the three-match Test series against South Africa that starts in Centurion on Boxing Day, but is realistic about what his team needs to do to achieve what would be a historic triumph. On recent evidence it would be easy to laugh off Sarfraz’s optimism.
Pakistan is fresh off a series defeat in the United Arab Emirates (where Pakistan play their ‘home’ matches) to New Zealand. Twice in that series they suffered final day batting meltdowns. And now they have to face - in the first Test against the Proteas – Dale Steyn and Kagiso Rabada. “We aren’t thinking about our previous series, yes we didn’t play well and we owned that, but we have a very important tour here,” said Sarfraz. In recent years South Africa has made no secret about wanting to play countries from the Asian subcontinent on green tracks and on ones that have a lot of bounce. Two seasons ago Sri Lanka played on a green track at St George’s Park. When India faced the Proteas in Cape Town, Newlands’ surface was more reminiscent of what is usually found in the Highveld, with the ball flying around.
The Wanderers tried to get that right for the third Test and failed, but even that pitch was very fast, with the bounce dangerous, and the ground eventually got sanctioned by the ICC. “All the Asian teams are struggling outside their own country but you have to play positive cricket when you play here. We can’t let grass on the surface worry us, we must play positively,” said Sarfraz.
It’s about intent, Sarfraz continued, echoing sentiments outlined last summer by India’s Virat Kohli. “Show your intent and it’s not about playing all your shots, like Fakhar Zaman, only Fakhar does that,” Sarfraz chuckled, seemingly happy to give his explosive left-hand opener licence to attack the South Africans.