Australia will take mental scarring into the Test series against South Africa after the embarrassing one-day international series whitewash, Proteas captain Faf du Plessis says.
The visitors were humbled 5-0 by South Africa, who have flown out for the three-Test tour of Australia beginning in Perth next month.
Australia have played down the possible impact the limited overs hammering could have on the team's confidence ahead of the Test series.
But Proteas captain Faf Du Plessis believes their batsmen's domination of their opponents' inexperienced bowling attack has given them a boost.
"Beating Australia the way we did - really convincingly, not giving them a sniff - will leave a bit of a scar on them mentally," Du Plessis told reporters before their departure.
"I appreciate it's Test cricket, a different format. They will have a different team, probably a more mature team (than their ODI squad).
"So it's important to start well in that first Test and remind them that we are in the same space as the one-day team."
The Australian Test attack to line up at the WACA on November 3 will likely bare no resemblance to the line-up of bowlers who copped heavy treatment in the ODI series in South Africa, with frontline pacemen Mitchell Starc injured and Josh Hazlewood rested.
Du Plessis admits the Proteas will be doing their homework on left-armer Starc, who was a rare shining light for Australia during their 3-0 Test series capitulation in Sri Lanka earlier this year.
""Starc is a huge bowler for them," Du Plessis said.
"We'll need to make sure we get good prep in with left-arm quicks.
"He's obviously someone who can crank it up and get it close to 150km/h and then obviously he's very good with reverse swing."
South Africa, who begin their tour with a two-day day-night tour match at against a Cricket Australia invitation side at the Adelaide Oval, have won their past two Test series in Australia.
