South African skipper Graeme Smith on Saturday admitted feeling unusual pressure ahead of the second cricket Test against India but promised of a fightback by his team.
After running over the Indians in the one-day series, the hosts were shocked by the visitors in the first Test with Smith himself continuing to struggle with the bat.
"When you lag at home there is more pressure, the media goes to town, public is quite demanding and the pressure builds up... you get that feel," said Smith as he looked at the challenge ahead of him and his team in the second Test beginnning in Durban on December 26.
"But I spoke to Polly (Shaun Pollock) and he talked about how they had come back once against Pakistan. We didn't play well enough at the Wanderers but we have no doubt in our mind that we can turn it around and that's the heartening thing."
Smith also revealed how he had taken time out for himself over the last two days to sort out his batting issues.
"I needed some time for myself and my own game. I wanted to get away from a lot of crap going this week. I worked on a few technical things; things you don't feel comfortable in the middle and end up searching. So I organised a few sessions in the middle and Jimmy (Cook) helped me in it."
Smith also talked of the mental pressure which his team was being subjected to in festive season.
"Mentally we need to be up for this game; we need to be strongest this time of year. It's a holiday season, Christmas, and mentally we need to be very strong."
One of the let-downs for South Africa was the form of Makhaya Ntini, who seemed to struggle to find his bowling rhythm in the first Test.
"I think Makhaya would be the first one to admit he wasn't at his best at the Wanderers. He is a kind of bowler who needs to bowl a lot and in one-day cricket, he wasn't quite getting it.
"Towards the end of the Test, I thought he was hitting his straps, his balls were heavy and hard. He would work hard over the next three days. He has come back before from ordinary Tests and he would bounce back."
Smith believed it would be a typical Kingsmead wicket for the second Test and if they could put up a total of 400 runs and control the first two days, they would be alright.
"We requested for a good wicket before the series and Mickey (coach Arthur) was just telling me it looks pretty good. At the Wanderers, it kept up and down and it's reflected in the small total we got. In Durban we know what to expect and it's a more solid track around.
"Every team wants to score 400 runs and above in the first innings to control the Test but so much is also dependent on the conditions and wickets."
Smith also spoke of the loss to world cricket following the retirements of champion Australian bowlers Shane Warne and Glenn McGrath.
"Warne's loss would be a great one for the game of cricket. Australia would struggle to find someone to replace him. He is once in a lifetime type of cricketer and I wish him all the best.
"It's the same with McGrath. Any cricketer who performs over a length of 10-12 years has got to be big time player. They gave a lot of value to the game in the time they played."
Smith rated McGrath a bigger challenge than Warne simply because he opened the innings and as a new ball bowler "was a massive challenge".
