'The target is on our back': Bavuma dealing with WTC pressure

South Africa captain Temba Bavuma believes the best is still ahead for his side as they search for a series victory over Australia and a spot at next year's ICC World Test Championship Final.

Bavuma produced a Player of the Match performance when contributing a superb 179 during the Proteas' series-levelling second Test triumph over Australia in Gqeberha as South Africa stayed in touch with the World Test Championship pacesetters as they try and defend the mace they won at Lord's last year.

Nearly everything went as planned for South Africa during the second Test, with Bavuma's innings stabilising the Proteas before Kagiso Rabada, Marco Jansen, Wiaan Mulder and Co delivered with the ball to leave everything to play for in Cape Town.

While Bavuma was thrilled with the efforts of his side, he thinks there might be more to come from his side in the future as they learn to deal with the pressure of being the reigning World Test Championship winners.

"Sometimes as a team, we forget that the target is on our back and everyone wants to have a go at us," Bavuma said after the innings and 31-run victory over Australia.

"Everyone wants us to show our mettle as the current world champions and everything that we do is under the microscope.

"Our performance in Durban was a realisation of that, but also a realisation of what it means coming up against super strong opposition."

While it was Jansen that received many of the plaudits for his five-wicket haul in Australia's first innings in Gqeberha, Bavuma said it was pace spearhead Rabada that led the way as he collected six scalps for the match after missing the first Test in Durban.

"He's massive value," Bavuma said of Rabada.

"When he's on the field, he assumes that responsibility and pressure of leading the attack and I believe it allows everyone else to kind of go about and do what they need to do.

"A guy like Marco (Jansen) in the first innings, him taking a five-for. And then in the second innings, Wiaan Mulder with crucial wickets.

"That's what a leader does. KG is not a big guy in terms of speeches. He'll speak whenever he sees fit. But with the figure that he is, he is inspiring in a lot of ways."

The Proteas will need to make at least one change for the series decider at Cape Town, with returning pacer Anrich Nortje hurting his groin during the second Test and fellow quicks Gerald Coetzee, Dane Paterson and Corbin Bosch now looming as his replacement.

Meanwhile, Australia captain Pat Cummins is expecting to have Cameron Green and Josh Inglis available for selection as he considers whether to change the mix of his side for the decisive third and final ICC World Test Championship contest against South Africa in Cape Town.

It was Australia's batting that was well below par during the second Test as they were bundled out for just 99 in their first innings and the potential return of Green and Inglis from injury provides Cummins with some decisions to make at selection for the Cape Town decider.

Duo Nic Maddinson and Beau Webster were well below their best with the bat during the second Test, while experienced No 3 Marnus Labuschagne is sure to come under scrutiny as his spell without a Test century continues to grow.

Cummins suggested he would wait until the Aussies arrive in Cape Town before he decides on any selection matters for the third Test, though he admitted it was good to have a couple of extra batting options at his disposal.

"It's not a perfect science," Cummins said.

"It's always the challenge of; do you give someone one more game? Or do you feel like now is the right time to make a move?

"So that's what will be spoken about over the next few days. I think we will probably have Cam Green and Josh Inglis be available for next week – I'm sure their names will get thrown around when we try and work out an XI.

"But it's always that delicate balance. Do we feel like someone's just about to turn the corner and they're going to be away? Or does it now feel like the right time for a change-up?"

Cummins said there were plenty of positives from the way Labuschagne performed during the second Test, with the right-hander contributing 14 and 39 across the two innings.

"I think the hardest thing about opening or batting three is actually getting yourself in," Cummins said.

"The ball is normally doing a fair bit. You've got fresh bowlers and he's actually doing the hard bit.

"He's getting to 30s. I think he's got to find a way to turn those into bigger scores – 30s aren't going to win you too many matches. But it's certainly not a technique error. Maybe some decisions (where) the game demanded something a little bit different.

"We'll work on that over the next couple days. I think he's hitting the ball well.

"There's one Test match left in the series. We've got to win this and then obviously there's a bit of a break before the summer ... the next three days will be about how do we win next week?"

Fixtures and Results

First Test - South Africa lost to Australia by 214 runs @ Hollywoodbets Kingsmead Stadium, Durban

Second Test - South Africa won by an innings and 31 runs @ Dafabet St George’s Park, Gqeberha

Third Test - Tuesday, 27 - Saturday, 31 October at 10.30am @ YesPlay Newlands Cricket Ground, Cape Town