Aiden Markram says Proteas batting coach Dale Benkenstein is not at fault for the poor batting display from the Proteas in their 5-1 series defeat to India. 

The proof is in the pudding. After an eight-wicket win, India ended the series 5-1 and sealed their first bilateral ODI series victory in South Africa.

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It was brilliant top-order batting from India and poor batting from the Proteas that determined the outcome of every game.

India’s top three have scored a mammoth 1051 runs. The Proteas entire top six, including contributions from Faf du Plessis and Quinton de Kock, only managed 830.

Only one player in South Africa’s batting lineup managed a century (Du Plessis’ 120 in Durban) while India had a ton from Shikhar Dhawan, Rohit Sharma as well as two from their skipper Virat Kohli.

But should Benkenstein take the blame for the Proteas’ batting incompetence?

‘Not a lot at all to be honest with you,’ said Markram. ‘Each player knows exactly what they need to do to deliver for the side.

‘The batting coach has been brilliant in terms offering ideas and helping guys out in the nets. He’s got a really good cricket brain and gives some very valuable information.

‘It’s the players ourselves who have not done it justice. I don’t think he needs to take the blame for this. It’s completely down to the players.

‘He can only control so much. When the game happens, he sits on the side and doesn’t have much influence. It’s us as players who were at fault this series and it is something we will get better at.’

Photo: Lee Warren/Gallo Images