Fast bowler Kagiso Rabada concedes the Proteas are ‘under immense pressure’ to win the third and final Test against India, which will start in Ranchi on Saturday.

The Proteas suffered heavy defeats in the first and second Tests in Visakhapatnam and Pune, respectively, as the hosts claimed an unassailable series lead.

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‘I don’t know if we can be put under more pressure than that,’ said Rabada.

A Proteas XI minus recent Test retirees Dale Steyn and Hashim Amla against an opposition unit that has exploited conditions well despite the absence of injured fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah.

‘They got the ball to reverse and they bowled well as a collective. Their whole attack put pressure on us in every single aspect. Their spinners bowled well and when the ball was reversing their seamers could exploit that. We didn’t really get the ball to reverse and that’s a major weapon of ours,’ added Rabada.

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Cricket South Africa acting director of cricket Corrie van Zyl and chief executive officer Thabang Moroe recently reiterated the collective inexperience of the current Test squad, which Rabada echoed.

Fast bowler Anrich Nortje debuted in the second Test, while wicketkeeper-batsman Heinrich Klaasen and spinning all-rounder George Linde remain uncapped.

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‘It’s never nice to lose, especially in the manner we’re losing right now, but we’re going through a transition period. Our team is fresh and young, so the best thing we can do is look at where we can improve and remember our strengths and build on them,’ concluded Rabada.

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