Last week the national sided suffered an embarrassing 287-run defeat to Sri Lanka in the first Test in Galle.

This after the Proteas were bowled out for 126 and 73 in their two innings.

South Africa’s batting is a major cause for concern, however, the batting coach, Dale Benkenstein, says that they will bounce back.

“It is a combination of both, technically you have to have faced a spinning ball and there are few things technically that you have to adjust to.

“I would say 90 percent of it is about being tough mentally, being used to the ball spinning past the bat.

“We were weak on that side, when you have had a lot of Test cricket you are ready for the pressures and we were a bit low on that.

 “All the players take responsibility, as well as the coaches, I don’t think we are far off in the little time that I have had with the national team, we have had some poor days because we are off. 

“It is not a big gap, it may seem like it with the result, but if we put all the things right we will be on the money in Colombo.”

The Proteas will be travelling to Colombo from Galle on Tuesday, and the second Test starts on Friday.

@Morgan Piek/OFM Sport