IND vs SA | We're not here to just compete, we're here to win, says Lance Klusener
Lance Klusener, who is currently the assistant batting coach for the South African cricket team, has asserted that his team have come to win the series and not just to give India a fight. He further stated that his team has enough experience in the bank and all they need to do is to execute plans.
After a disastrous World Cup campaign which saw them finish seventh, South Africa are all set to write a new chapter under the leadership of Quinton de Kock - at least in T20s - and their first task will be an arduous one, against a rampant Indian side away from home. However, assistant batting coach Lance Klusener believes that his team are here to win the series and not just compete and is confident that their preparation will pay dividends come Sunday.
"We are not here just to compete. We will have to win the series and we need to win every game we play. That’s important," Klusener told Sportstar.
"We would like to hit the ground running, that’s something that would be my expectation. That’s pretty much how we are preparing. We are here to win the games and to ensure we take the team forward," he added.
When asked if the lack of experience within the team could play against them, Klusener was quick to play it down, stating that all players had enough experience while also having good idea about the conditions thanks to their stints with South Africa 'A' teams. The former South African all-rounder also said that it will be a golden opportunity for the selectors to identify the next bunch of players who will bear the torch and take the team forward in the upcoming years.
"Everybody in the squad has pretty much played in India. Some have come out of the ‘A’ tours - that’s a good thing. South African teams have been coming to the sub-continent and India for good 20 years now. For me, it’s not about how we are (tackling) the conditions.
"At some stage, you need to deal with the conditions you know. I would like to believe that we are there. We know the conditions, we know how to play in the conditions. It’s about executing it on the day against a really good team. We have got some fantastic young-skilled players. It can be the start of identifying some future heroes or stars for South Africa," he said.
Klusener also asserted that the team will focus on all XI players in the team and not just Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma and insisted that his team is clear on what their objectives are.
"They (Rohit and Virat) are two good cricketers, yes, but there are nine or ten others, who are also pretty decent. Our focus will be on ourselves. It is nice to know that they have got some fantastic cricketers, we respect that. But at the end of day, the focus is on what we want to do and the talent we have got in our team. That’s our focus really," Klusener concluded.
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