Graeme Smith is banking on the recalled Herschelle Gibbs and Jacques Kallis's anticipated return to bowling fitness to help South Africa level the Test series against England in Durban.
"We didn't play well in the first Test, and we need to level the series going into Cape Town (where the third Test starts on January 2)," Smith told a news conference on Friday.
"In the first Test we were a bit young and it showed in certain areas."
The second Test starts on Sunday. England won the first match in the five-Test series by seven wickets in Port Elizabeth on Tuesday.
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He pulled out of South Africa's tour to India in November over concerns that he might be detained in connection with a police investigation into match-fixing.
A hand injury kept him out of domestic matches until Wednesday, when he played for Western Province-Boland in a limited-overs game against the Titans, facing five balls before being dismissed.
But Smith remained hopeful.
"He is going to be fresh, and he's a guy who can dominate a game for us," Smith said. "He can win a game by himself, and I think England are a bit worried about him.
"He's had a rough time lately and he might be a little undercooked, but he's got two practices to sort that out."
Kallis, meanwhile, was restricted to batting in the first Test because of an ankle injury.
"A lot revolves around Jacques's fitness, you can carry an extra batter if he is fit to bowl," Smith said, adding: "We can't afford to lose here."
England captain Michael Vaughan told reporters earlier that his side had only played to 75 percent of their ability in Port Elizabeth, down from the 85-90 percent reached during a year in which they have won 11 of 12 Test matches and drawn the other.
Smith, however, said: "England might have 25 percent to improve, but we've got 50 percent to improve."
