Usman Khawaja is using the reverse-sweep, a stroke as divisive as it is difficult, in an attempt to conquer his spin demons.
Khawaja is among the first batsmen picked in any home Test series but outside Australia it has been a different story in recent years.
The 31-year-old was either axed or failed to get a game on Australia's previous three Test tours - all on the subcontinent, with selectors considering him a liability against talented spin bowlers.
The chasm between Khawaja's Test average at home (59.38) and away (26.78) remains immense, but a hard-fought knock of 75 in Port Elizabeth was cause for confidence.
Khawaja's highest Test score outside Australia or New Zealand came from almost four hours of toil at St George's Park.
The left-hander was confronted with quality reverse-swing bowling but also challenging left-arm spin from Keshav Maharaj, who dismissed him in Durban.
The reverse-sweep was Khawaja's undoing in the first Test but it proved far more effective in the second Test.
"It is a shot, as a leftie, I think is quite valuable. If you can execute it," he told reporters.
"Whenever you are trying to score runs there is always risk. As a leftie you always have to deal with rough and have to figure out ways to score runs.
"It's not that big of a deal, you play it in one-day and T20 cricket all the time, it's just about having the confidence in Test cricket to execute it."
Khawaja wasn't worried about the torrent of criticism that followed his dismissal in the first Test, when he attempted to reverse-sweep Maharaj but instead popped up a catch to keeper Quinton de Kock.
"There's going to be times when I try to do it and don't succeed," he said.
"I wasn't going to let that hamper me. When I'm out there I am going to try to score runs and try to play positively.
"That's quite important against any bowling attack, otherwise it's quite hard to put pressure back on them."
Khawaja is expected to travel to India for an Australia A series later this year ahead of a two-Test series against Pakistan in the United Arab Emirates.
But the Queensland captain insists he isn't worried about his record outside Australia.
"I'm not trying to prove anything," he said.
"If you score runs and don't win a Test match it is a crap feeling and if you don't score runs and win a Test match, it's a lot better feeling."
Share
