South African players celebrate with the winner’s trophy after their win in the World Test Championship final against Australia at Lord’s cricket ground (AP Photo)

South Africa’s cricket team, led by Aiden Markram, is preparing to defend their World Test Championship title as they begin a new cycle with a two-test series in Pakistan.The series starts on Sunday and will be followed by two matches in India in November. South Africa earned their champion status after defeating Australia by five wickets at Lord’s in June.“I suppose you create a bit of a target on your back if you’ve won (the WTC), and if that’s the case, it’s fair. We want to chase a place in the final again and lift that trophy once again but realise each team will be coming for us,” said Markram, who is stepping in for regular captain Temba Bavuma due to a calf strain.“We, as a team, have to keep getting better and improving and playing well in all different types of conditions. It starts for us in Pakistan, and it’s a challenge the boys will be up for,” he added at a press conference on Monday.The World Test Championship determines its winner after a two-year cycle, culminating in a single five-day match between the top two teams.The South African team has been conducting specialized training sessions at Pretoria’s High Performance Centre, focusing on spinning wickets.“There were a couple of nets prepared where the spin is really exaggerated, and you’d rather err on that side, and maybe then it’s a bit easier when we get to Pakistan,” Markram explained.“We’re expecting to face a lot of spin over there, and it’s also, naturally, a lot lower there from a seam point of view. There’s a lot of skiddy, so it’s hard to try and emulate that here in South Africa, but we’ve been looking to put a lot of emphasis on finding a way to train for that.”The South African team will first play in Lahore, followed by the second test in Rawalpindi starting October 20.The team’s preparation emphasizes adapting to Pakistani conditions, particularly focusing on spin bowling and lower seam movements.Markram, serving as stand-in captain, acknowledges the challenges of defending their title while facing heightened expectations from opposing teams.The South African team’s strategic preparation includes specialized training to handle the unique playing conditions they expect to encounter in Pakistan.The upcoming series marks the beginning of South Africa’s journey to defend their World Test Championship title, with the team facing immediate challenges in subcontinental conditions.