Faf won't change stance on pitch preparation

Johannesburg - Proteas captain Faf du Plessis acknowledged after the third Test against India that the problems with the wickets in this series may have come as a result of the pressure he had put on the groundsman. 

Du Plessis has not hidden the fact that, when playing at home, he will request strips that aid his fast bowlers as he looks to make life as difficult as possible for visiting sides. 

The 2015 tour of India, where South Africa were made to play on wickets that were near-impossible to bat on as India's spinners thrived, is often mentioned by the Proteas skipper. 

The wicket at Centurion for the second Test was slow, and not at all what Du Plessis had asked for, but it was the pitch at the Wanderers that has been the subject of much controversy. 

The match flirted with being abandoned late on day three when the umpires decided that the wicket was too dangerous to continue, but eventually it was decided that things would continue and India went on to secure a historic 63-run victory.

Du Plessis acknowledges that he has taken a tough stance on wicket preparation, and based on his comments after the match, it doesn't look like that will be changing.

"I’m just under the opinion that – whether it’s one percent or five percent or ten percent – you must try and get an advantage against opposition that is quality," the captain explained.

"When we go to India, we certainly don’t play on flat, green tracks. And I assume that there would be a similar conversation happening there.

"For me it’s just making sure that there’s a conversation happening with the management of our team and also the groundsman about the conditions that would be ideal for a Test series.

"This Test series we didn’t get that, and I can’t give you the reason for that."

The four-Test series against Australia gets underway in Durban on March 1.