Captain Quinton de Kock has insisted the Proteas will ‘prepare for the worst’ conditions during this month’s three T20Is against India.

De Kock will captain the XI in the absence of regular skipper Faf du Plessis, who will return for October’s three Tests against the same opposition.

The hard-hitting left-hander has plenty of experience on the sub-continent, having played for the Delhi Daredevils, Mumbai Indians, Royal Challengers Bangalore and Sunrisers Hyderabad in the Indian Premier League since 2013.

‘From our side‚ what we are going to do is to make sure that we prepare for the worst. To be honest‚ I don’t know what we are going to get,’ said De Kock.

‘In T20s I don’t think it will spin that much because in the IPL they prepare pretty good wickets. But Test matches are a different story and it could end up turning on day one. It is more of a mental thing and not being caught up too much on whether it is spinning or not‚ that is what it boils down to.’

While the tourists’ squad includes the uncapped George Linde and Bjorn Fortuin, the hosts have rested seamers Jasprit Bumrah and  Bhuvneshwar Kumar for the T20Is in Dharamsala, Mohali and Bengaluru.

‘Maybe‚ because of the fact that they are backing their fast-bowling attack‚ they will prepare better wickets. Unfortunately‚ I don’t know what we are going to get,’ added De Kock.

‘You could get there and they play two or three spinners or they go with the seamers. You will never know what will happen. We will see what happens when we get there and make sure that our preparations are good.’

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