AB de VIlliers' unique approach at the crease is forcing Australia's bowlers to also get funky, with Mitchell Starc saying his side need to think outside the box.
De Villiers looked like he was batting on a different pitch to the other 21 players involved in the second Test between Australia and South Africa, posting his first century in more than three years.
The leading run-scorer of the series finished 126 not out in Port Elizabeth, having scored an unbeaten 71 in Durban.
Starc, formerly an Indian Premier League teammate of de Villiers at Royal Challengers Bangalore, suggested the tourists will run through South Africa's batting order easily in Cape Town if they dismiss the superstar cheaply.
"We feel we're pretty comfortable against the rest of their batting line-up. I think we showed in the first Test how quickly we can go through them," Starc said ahead of the third Test that starts on Thursday.
"He was a mainstay in the first innings of that first Test and again in the second Test, so they rely heavily on him.
"He's been the linchpin for them and we've spoken about some good plans for him.
"You've got to think outside the box a lot more with him."
That was exactly what Steve Smith did at St George's Park, setting defensive fields while ordering his bowlers to starve de Villiers of strike and focus on cleaning up the tail.
"I can't say I was too happy with that either. Look, if the captain tells me to do something I'm going to do it, aren't I?" Starc said.
De Villiers' strength is how quickly and easily he scores, regularly putting good balls away for four with an incredible arsenal of strokes.
"He's a fantastic batter, there's no doubt about that and he showed again in the first innings why he's one of the best in the world," Starc said.
"Your margin for error is a lot less to someone like him.
"But he's only human, so he's going to make mistakes and you're going to be able to get him out. People have before in the past and I'm pretty confident in our bowling attack. So there's no doubt we can get him out four more times in the series.
"A good ball's still a good ball to any batter."
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