Coetzee, who now plays for the Titans, was part of the South African team who played India in Durban on Friday in the first of four T20 matches. After the game, Coetzee said he was disappointed about the loss but glad to be back in the team.

Reflecting on the match, Coetzee said the visitors put on a good score, but that it was not out of reach of the South Africans.

“I think we had some good starts with the bat,” he said, “but we just could not convert. I think that is something to look into before the next match. The boys have played long enough to know that. India batted well, but it wasn’t anywhere out of reach.”

Coetzee said that although there were many things that went wrong for the team on the day, there were also many things that went right.

“We will have to look and analyse what went wrong in this game and take it into the next game,” he said. “I don’t think skill-wise we were that far off. Sanju batted pretty well, but I think we bowled pretty well. We will have to do our homework. And the batters had good starts, but just could not convert.”

‘Sanju’s innings played a big role’

Coetzee, however, was also full of praise for the visitors’ bowling side.

“They bowled exceptionally well, you cannot take that away from them,” he said. “But I think, the game was not only won for them in the bowling department. Sanju’s innings played a big role. But yes, they have class bowlers and they bowled well. We will have our hands full in the next match. But we also have class and good batters, so it will be a serious match-up in the games to come.”

The sides meet again in the second of four T20s at St George’s Park in Gqeberha on Sunday.

OFM Sport/Ilse Smalberger cg