South Africa head coach Mark Boucher isn't aware of skipper Faf du Plessis' future at the highest level or whether he is thinking of bidding adieu to the game post the final Test of the ongoing series against England.
Du Plessis has failed miserably in the last two Test assignments, including the one versus India in October; he hasn't crossed fifty in his last nine innings, making a painstaking 36 in the second innings of the ongoing third Test in Port Elizabeth where the Proteas are closing in towards a heavy defeat.
Read Also: "Nothing was aimed at Nortje", Stokes defends reaction after the wicket
But is this it for the 35-year-old? "I've got no clue," ESPNcricinfo quoted Boucher in reply. "He (Du Plessis) hasn't said anything. I don't think so."
"It's easy for me to sit here and say yes I am happy with his state of mind," the coach added. "For me, his state of mind will be a lot better if he gets up there and scores runs. We all know that he is under pressure in the media and from a confidence point of view."
Boucher thinks it's a case of Du Plessis just not spending enough time in the middle. "The positive for me is that he actually got out there (with a 123-ball stay at the wicket on Day 4 before being dismissed), he gave himself a chance to have a look at the conditions and he looked like he got some good rhythm in a really tough situation."
"He got to face over 100 balls so he will sit back in the changeroom, look at the team situation and be disappointed in the performance today and in the Test match but I am sure he will take confidence from the fact that he got to spend time out there and face a few balls in the middle."
Boucher took over just prior to this series at a time when South African cricket is struggling badly with some of the deeper issues hurting the game in the country. However, he isn't one to be drawn into those talks.
"It's easy to point fingers at this and that and our system. For me, there's no excuse. I need to find a way to get it right in a short period of time," he said.
"I look at this as a time to self-reflect. I'm looking at myself and saying, 'how do I take responsibility for the performance of the team and how do I try and mentally and physically upskill these guys to make them better players in a short space of time?'"
(Inputs from ESPNcricinfo)
