The glare of the latest variant of the coronavirus notwithstanding, Lungi Ngidi has pinned his hopes on South Africa’s upcoming home series against India to put Proteas cricket on the right track as they go through a rebuilding phase.

“A tour like this can really get the ball rolling in the right direction,” pacer Ngidi told ESPNCricinfo. “The processes we are following now are putting us in a good position to compete in this Test Championship (cycle). We’ve been speaking about a rebuilding phase, but I think it’s coming together.”

Ngidi is a part of the three-match Test series against India, which begins on December 26. This will be South Africa’s first series in the 2021-23 World Test Championship (WTC).

The players to be involved in this series will once again have to put up with life in the bio-bubble and Ngidi is aware of its challenges.

“I have full respect for anybody who pulls out of a tour because mentally they feel like they cannot handle it. I probably have felt that at some stage, but it didn’t get to the point where I was ready to go home.

“It does affect you a bit. We find different ways to release the pressure.”

The South African squad is packed with quite a few fast-bowlers, including Kagiso Rabada and Anrich Nortje, and Ngidi has no complaints about the fact that making the cut for the playing XI is going to be extremely tough.

“We’ve got very good competition and I am really looking forward to it,” Ngidi says. “It pushes players. I don’t think anyone can be comfortable in their spot,” Ngidi said.

Proteas’ bowling coach Charl Langeveldt too has faith in the current group of players, who he says have come up through experimentations in the recent past.