Proteas’ Enoch Nkwe thinks long-term

The Proteas may have lost their opening Test of the Freedom Series against India last week, but very quickly since the team’s heavy defeat, interim director Enoch Nkwe is hoping that their tour against the hosts will have long-standing benefits.

Read: Proteas lag on Day 2 as India press for advantage

The 2019 Gauteng Sport Awards Coach of the Year believes that while his team went down by 203 runs, there were signs the Proteas are on the right track, as reported by IOL. “I’m proud of how the boys responded after losing the toss,” Nkwe told IOL. “That can play around with your mind. We showed a lot of character and determination we stretched ourselves.

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Proteas interim director and Imperial Lions head coach Enoch Nkwe (Image: BackpagePix).

“I have embraced the situation and my biggest focus is to create a strong foundation. We have worked a lot behind the scenes to help this team grow in the next four years.”

Read: India on top on Day 1 of Freedom Cup

Nkwe said his biggest drive will be to make a difference in human beings. Right now, I’m in this position and I’m grateful for that,” he said. “It’s not just about the now – we must define the character of the team in the next couple of months.

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Enoch Nkwe sets mind to long-term results with Proteas (Image: AFP).

“We’ve got to ensure the puzzle comes together. This is a great place to see that what sort of character does the team has and what areas do we need to look at and improve. But ultimately, it’s all about the big picture. And we need to be patient as some players might take a bit more time to produce the type of performances we are looking for,” he added.