Kyle Verreynne feels South Africa have gained self-belief as a cricketing nation after backing up their World Test Championship triumph with a Test series win in India this winter.
Nottinghamshire’s wicketkeeper-batter struck the winning runs as the Proteas defeated Australia in the First-Class showpiece last June – before repeating the feat to take Notts to the County Championship title in September.
As South Africa’s T20 side prepare for their Men’s T20 World Cup campaign, Verreynne feels a the memory of near-misses in ICC events is beginning to recede.
“It meant a lot to us to win that Test championship,” he said.
“There’s been a history of us not quite getting over the line in these events, so being able to get over that hurdle will hopefully help in the T20 World Cup, and I think it’s given cricketers in South Africa a different mindset.
“I think before we’ve been okay with just competing, but over the last 18 months or so that’s changed to us believing we can be winning tournaments and difficult series.
“From a mindset point of view it’s sparked a shift that can only be good going forward.”
Verreynne was part of the South Africa squad which went on to secure a first series win in India for 25 years, defeating the hosts by 408 runs to claim a 2-0 clean sweep.
And the 28-year-old feels the triumph on the subcontinent was almost as valuable as the World Championship win which preceded it.
“The India win was massive,” he said.
“Before the [World Championship] final there was a lot written about us potentially having had an easier run, having not played three-match series, and I think we just took it on the chin at the time.
“But once we’d won it, we wanted to show why we’d won it – and that we’re not a fly-by-night team that’s managed to fluke their way to a Test Championship.
“India is probably the toughest place to tour, so to go there and convincingly beat them has meant quite a lot to the guys in the team.”
Verreynne is currently playing First-Class cricket for Western Province in South Africa’s four-day competition, having hit the third double-century of his career in a convincing win over Boland.
The right-hander has represented the Cape Town-based side since 2014, having been inspired by the side’s stalwart all-rounder Jacques Kallis in his youth.
“Kallis was one of the main guys that anyone in my generation grew up watching, “ he said.
“He went to the same school as me too, so there was always that rich cricketing heritage around me.
“But AB de Villiers was probably the guy I looked up to most. He kept a bit for South Africa and was unreal with the bat.
“I wouldn’t say that he was someone I based my game on, but he was someone I looked up to. You always dreamt of achieving what he was achieving.”
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IT20 cricket returns to Trent Bridge on Tuesday 7 July, as England and India's men lock horns under lights.