Kyle Verreynne insist there is no need to change approach as Proteas begin WTC defence

Going into the first Test against Pakistan in Lahore on Sunday, Proteas wicket-keeper/batter Kyle Verreynne insists there is no need to change their approach just because they now have the added pressure of being the defending World Test Championship (WTC) champions.

South Africa went under the radar for the majority of their journey to the WTC final at Lord’s in June.

However, as they begin the new cycle as champions, all eyes will be on them, and Test teams around the world will have the added motivation to go one up against the defending champions.

Verreynne told the media that they acknowledge the new added pressure on them as a team.

The 28-year-old revealed that the Test team has had open and honest conversations about the new pressure and expectations.

From those conversations, Verreynne highlighted that they do not want to change too much in their approach going into the First Test against Pakistan and the rest of the cycle.

“From our point of view, we're champions now, so there's a new pressure. I think every team that we play is going to want to beat us that much more,” Verreynne told the media on Friday.

“We're champions now, so there's an expectation that we probably didn't have (in the previous WTC cycle). It’s something that we've spoken about quite openly and quite honestly. But I think it's about not really changing anything.

“We've had a really successful 18 to 24 months, and I think the most important thing for us is to try and not change too much. We don't really want to fix something that isn't broken.

“We're in a good space at the moment. So, whilst there's a new pressure and probably a lot more expectation, I think we'll just try and focus on doing what's made us successful over the last while.”

Verreynne is one of the few Test players in the Proteas squad who have recently had some game time in red-ball cricket, having helped Nottinghamshire win the County Championship last month, and good news as he went on to tell the media that he is in a good mental space ahead of the first Test in Lahore.

“From a mental point of view, in quite a good space. Being in the UK, it was quite a successful summer from a team point of view from my side.

“But I think the reality is these are completely different conditions from what I was faced with over there. I feel like I'm in good form, feel like I'm in good touch and playing quite nicely. 

“But I think the beauty about travelling around the world and playing in different conditions is that as much as you can bring form and confidence into each series or each condition, the challenge is always going to be quite different.

“I think it's important to, whilst taking as much confidence as possible from the English summer, be very aware that it's a new start and you've got to start over and build a new set of confidence.”

The first Test is scheduled to start on Sunday, 12 October at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore.