Proteas eager to continue WTC momentum against Bangladesh

Having jumped to the second spot in the ICC World Test Championship Rankings, South Africa will now face Bangladesh in the ongoing cycle.

Despite the visitors being ranked lower in the WTC Standings than their previous opponents - Australia - the hosts will be determined to not let their feet off the accelerator as they look to make a push for next year's WTC Final.

"In international cricket, you can't take any series for granted," Kagiso Rabada ​told the reporters ahead of the two-match series.

"There are always high stakes on ⁠every game that you play. And moving into this series against Bangladesh, they'll ​be heightened in their spirits, looking at the way they've played in recent times.

"It's actually exciting, you know? You want to be up against the ​best opposition that you can be.

"And I think they'd want to ​come here and prove a point and I'm really looking forward to this battle. I think ‌it ⁠will show how healthy cricket is."

Bangladesh are currently fifth in the WTC Standings and are coming on the back of a 1-0 series defeat at the hands of the West Indies.

Previously, the team had registered a well-earned draw in a two-match series in Australia. A performance that hasn't gone unnoticed in the Proteas camp.

For the reigning ICC World Test Championship winners, the upcoming series is also about ensuring they continue to vie for the top two spot in the Standings.

"I think it's human nature, we've found ​ourselves on that ​side before where ⁠we probably got a bit too complacent," he said.

"It's something that we have to guard against, to really give it our ​best shot and not drop the intensity, to keep our ​standards right ⁠up there.

"We're not really thinking about the result, we're just going to think about how we want to play, because that's what we've been doing these past two years, ⁠having ​that desperation to win.

"And yeah, getting into the ​faces of our opponents, that's exactly how we want to play. We'll be looking to do more of ​the same," he added.

The first Test between South Africa and Bangladesh will kickstart in Johannesburg from Sunday.

Proteas Men’s Squad - Dafabet Test Series against Bangladesh

Temba Bavuma (captain, DP World Lions), Marques Ackerman (Hollywoodbets Dolphins), Matthew Breetzke (Dafabet Warriors), Corbin Bosch (Momentum Multiply Titans), Tony de Zorzi (YesPlay Cobras), Simon Harmer (Momentum Multiply Titans), Zubayr Hamza (DP World Lions), Marco Jansen (Momentum Multiply Titans), Keshav Maharaj (Hollywoodbets Dolphins), Aiden Markram (Momentum Multiply Titans), Wiaan Mulder (DP World Lions), Anrich Nortje (Hollywoodbets Dolphins), Dane Paterson (YesPlay Cobras), Kagiso Rabada (DP World Lions), Ryan Rickelton (DP World Lions).

Fixtures

First Test - Sunday, 15 November-Thursday, 19 November at 10am - DP World Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg

Second Test - Monday, 23 November-Friday, 27 November at 10am - SuperSport Park, Centurion