Former Test batsman Ashwell Prince has insisted the Proteas are in a ‘transition phase’, ahead of a challenging tour of India.

The Proteas will play three Tests in Visakhapatnam, Pune and Ranchi in October – and will be without batsman Hashim Amla and fast bowler Dale Steyn.

Amla has retired from all forms of international cricket, while Steyn’s prolific Test career has ended.

‘It’s a transition phase for South African cricket. I work in the first-class system and we have the first-hand experience of the young guys that are coming through. Of course, you don’t become Amla and Steyn overnight,’ said Prince, who is the head coach of the Cape Cobras.

Prince, who played 66 Tests between 2002 and 2011, is currently in India for Cricket South Africa’s spin bowling camp. He was initially employed as a batting consultant, but later promoted to chief oversight after former South Africa A coach Russell Domingo joined Bangladesh.

‘We are looking at both aspects – be it physical and mental level – to play spin. It’s about being able to understand that a good spinner on a surface providing spin will go past the outside edge and beat your bat,’ he was quoted as saying by the Deccan Chronicle.

‘We obviously have come here for young players to experience some of the conditions. What we try to do is to pass on our learnings, but we have some local coaches helping us here. Even the spin coach has years of experience to associate the idea of local conditions. It’s basically to feed the young guys as much information as possible.’

Proteas cricketers Temba Bavuma, Aiden Markram and Zubayr Hamza are among the batsmen at the camp. Test spinner Dane Piedt and T20I counterpart Bjorn Fortuin are there, too.

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