After crushing India by an innings in the first cricket Test in Nagpur, South African captain Graeme Smith on Tuesday declared that they deserve to be the world number one team more than the home side.
South Africa would reclaim their world number one status that they relinquished to India in December last year if they do not lose the second Test in Kolkata starting on Sunday.
Smith said they deserved the Test numero uno status more than any side as they had won around the world and not in their own backyard only.
"The reason we probably can say we deserve number one ranking more than any one else is we have traveled and won around the world in a short period of time. We have not only played at home and won. We have won in England, in Australia, come here and won a Test in 2008 and now here. Number one team deserves to be number one. We want to earn that and be there for a long time," he said.
He said by winning the first Test here his side has taken the first step of scoring a series victory in India which is something missing in South Africa's record books.
"I think especially as a team we have achieved so much. I think as a Test team this is one thing (to win series in India) we wanted to tick off. A win here in this two-match series we have taken the first step. It is a massive goal for all of us (to win the series)," said the right-handed opening batsman.
Smith said his side stuck to their natural game and dished out positive cricket.
"We have been really clinical. It is important to play our style of cricket. We have to adapt but play our style of cricket. I think we did that very well throughout the game and used our bowlers in short spells," said Smith.
"Like I said before we had everything to gain. We know how tough it is to play here and how satisfying it is to get a victory. We got one in 2008. So we had to work just as hard. We played positive cricket," Smith said.
"More than anything else the energy the guys showed is great. The mental energy. You need to put in that kind of effort. To bowl a team out like India in two days twice (is great)," he explained.
Smith credited the entire team for the victory while singling out Hashim Amla's superb double century that set up the triumph.
"Hashim's double century was great to watch. At No. 3 he is becoming the glue. (It's) terrific to have him there. We played with three quicks and, with (Paul) Harris chipping in, we adapted. It is a credit to the team," he said.
"Hashim is one of the hardest working guys. He knows his strength is his mental strength. He has got great hands and he scores very quickly. He sticks to his game plan and has provided us a lot of stability. More than his 250 he has been involved in some key partnerships along the way," he said. PTI
