David Bedingham has identified self-imposed pressure as the root cause of his Test cricket struggles after an encouraging start to his international career. The South African batter made a strong impression in his opening matches but found form difficult to maintain in subsequent Tests, leading him to reassess his approach to the game.
Bedingham began his Test career in December 2023 against India in Centurion with a score of 56 on debut, followed by two fifties and a hundred across his first four Tests, averaging 49.57. However, his next 10 Tests yielded only 399 runs at an average of 26.6 with just one fifty, marking a significant dip in performance. In his 16-Test career to date, he has managed only one century.
"And then, after my first five Tests, in which I did pretty well, I put myself under loads of pressure and I had a down year. Then, in this county season with Durham, I worked on loads of things," Bedingham said, as quoted by Cricbuzz.
Durham success and mental reset
The batter's recent county season with Durham has provided a platform for renewed confidence. Bedingham scored 1,029 runs at an average of 73.50 across 16 championship innings, including five centuries. He finished fourth among run-scorers in the competition and second in batting averages, leading Durham to extend his contract.
Bedingham now approaches his return to Test cricket with a different mindset, prioritising enjoyment over performance targets.
"Mentally I'm happy to be playing for my country again. Whatever happens, happens. I think that's when I play my best; be a free spirit and enjoy it rather than think, 'I need a score, I need a score', because whatever's meant to be will be," Bedingham said.
"In my first five Tests I felt free. I wasn't thinking about my technique at all. You could just see ball, hit ball. And then I started thinking about my technique, and about what you guys say, and struggled," he added.
Bedingham acknowledged the positive impact of his Durham summer on his confidence levels.
"But I had a good summer at Durham. Maybe I was more confident than last year. But at the end of the day it's just cricket. I know it's our job, but there are a lot bigger issues in South Africa and the world. So hopefully I just enjoy it," Bedingham said.
Facing Australia's attack
The batter's recent performance in the first Test against Australia at Durban demonstrated his ability to occupy the crease under pressure. He scored 49 and 46 across two innings, spending 212 minutes at the crease. Australia won the match by 214 runs, with Matt Renshaw scoring 190 and 80 for the visitors. Six South African batters reached 30 in the first innings, but the difference in the match lay in the depth of Australia's batting performance.
Bedingham faces different tactical challenges depending on his batting position in the order. When batting at number three, he typically faces three slips and a gully, creating more scoring opportunities. At number five, the field setup differs with usually two slips and a fielder in the covers.
“In first-class cricket you face a decent bowler and then there's maybe another decent one. Then you cash in with the third or fourth bowlers. But here you get through six balls of Cummins and then you look up and it’s like, ‘Oh, here comes Starc’. You get through that spell and it’s like, “Flip. It’s Hazlewood. And Lyon.’ They’re machines, but everyone gets tired eventually. Hopefully …," said Bedingham.
The second Test against Australia begins on October 18, 2026, at St George's Park. South Africa will look to respond after their defeat in Durban, with Bedingham seeking to apply his renewed mental approach in the series.
