That has been realised most clearly in the balance of the side. South Africa have long relied on fast bowlers of rare quality, but this attack has evolved beyond brute force.
Rabada, a generational talent, remains the spearhead and is now complemented by a depth of skill and variety that allows the Proteas to compete in all conditions.
Maharaj and Harmer offer control and a wicket-taking threat, while Marco Jansen – the two-metre-tall left-armer who can swing it both ways at pace – provides genuine X-factor.
Most striking, however, has been the transformation of the batting.
Between January 2020 and February 2023, South African batters recorded just six Test centuries, better only than Zimbabwe and Afghanistan. England scored 38 in the same period.
Since that lean spell, South Africans have crossed three figures on 23 occasions and are now averaging more than one hundred per Test. This year alone there have been 10 hundreds, including three first-time centurions, one first-time double centurion, and Mulder’s record-breaking knock.
Perhaps most pleasing of all has been the volume of contributions down the order. South Africa’s lower order – from seven down – has averaged 29.51 this year, comfortably the best among Test sides. England and Ireland are the only other teams averaging above 20.
“We all share the responsibility and take pride in what we do,” adds Muthusamy, whose 109 in Guwahati came from number seven and included a 97-run stand with Jansen. “We’re never beaten. That’s the message the leadership group has given us.”
That resilience was most evident in the WTC final. At the close of day one, South Africa were 43-4, 169 runs behind Australia.
At lunch on day three, they were set 282 to win, the second-highest successful chase at Lord’s. On both occasions, they clawed their way back in a historic victory that rewrote a long-standing narrative of teams rich in talent but brittle under pressure.
Along the way, Temba Bavuma, who averaged 51.66 this year, became the first captain to win 11 Tests before tasting defeat.
