Proteas may need to make 'tactical' alteration to 'brittle' batting to counter Johnson's pace attack

South Africa may reportedly be forced into making a significant tactical alteration to their squad for the second Test against Australia in Port Elizabeth following the brutal destruction of their batting line-up by Australian pace sensation Mitchell Johnson.

Even though the pitch in the second Test venue may be favourable for the hosts, however, it however, sometimes exhibits uneven bounce as games wear on, which may play up to Johnson's advantage.

According to Sport24, the team's selectors will urgently need to address the brittle batting line-up, which, apart from ODI captain AB de Villiers, broke down completely during the hosts' 281-run rout at Centurion Park on Saturday, effectively showing the obvious lack of retired versatile top-order great Jacques Kallis, who made 13,289 Test runs at 55.37.

Therefore, the report mentioned that South Africa needs to shore up their batting for St George's Park given the impact made by left-arm 'thunderbolt' Johnson, who scored a career-best match figures of 12-127 with some fearful head and bodily strikes.

The report further said that it might lead to South Africa playing seven out-and-out batsmen and decide four suitable bowlers, including a fifth, slightly part-time element of JP Duminy's off-spinning abilities.