Gibson Urges South Africa to be Ruthless Against India

“It’s not finished yet, we have to make sure that when we wake up tomorrow morning we have still got our game faces on.”

The South African camp have made it known they are unhappy with the uncharacteristic pitch at Centurion Park, having hoped for a seaming wicket to assist their powerful pace attack.

Instead they have a pitch that looks more Pune than Pretoria, though the variable bounce is something their fast bowlers have been able to exploit.

“You want a certain type of wicket when you play at home and when you don’t get it you still have to perform. The guys have worked hard, they have toiled a little bit when they have had to,” Gibson said.

“Once you get over the disappointment of seeing a very brown pitch, it looks more Indian than Centurion, you have to work out what lines and lengths you want to be bowling.

“The first innings I thought we were perhaps a little bit wide but today we made the adjustment and brought the stumps into play and it has worked out for us.”