South Africa coach Russell Domingo hopes his side's comprehensive 280-run victory in the fourth Test against England will halt the criticism levelled at the side after successive series defeats knocked them off the top of the world rankings.
South Africa lost 3-0 in India last year before going down 2-1 at home to England, exposing weaknesses in the team's batting line-up, in particular.
"The main thing I take out of it was the way side responded to a lot of noise that has come from the public and the media," Domingo told reporters.
"When you have one or two bad series, everybody makes you sound like you are the worst players and the worst coaches in the world which is not necessarily the case."
Domingo said his players had maintained their composure really well through tough times.
"To play the way they have played these last couple of days makes the coaching staff really proud because it has been a tough series," he said.
After a series of embarrassing batting collapses recently, including their two lowest Test innings totals since readmission to international cricket in 1991, the team have been criticised for being the only top nation without a batting coach.
"Everybody thinks we have not been looking for a batting coach but we've been trying for the last year," Domingo said.
"Every team's got it. England have got one, Australia have got one, India have got one.
"We've offered the position to quite a few people and we offered the position whilst things were going well, not whilst we've been bowled out for 80 and 90.
Domingo said they had a candidate in mind.
"We've had a few people who said they were interested but they wouldn't commit to it simply because travelling is not that fun when you are away from your family for a long time and when there is a lot of pressure and a lot of criticism you are faced with when things don't go well," he said.
Dale Steyn's injury woes continued as South Africa ruled him out of the five-match one-day international series against England shortly after they secured a consolation victory in the final Test.
The fast bowler, who has missed all but one innings of the four Tests against England and lost his ranking as the world's best bowler, continues to battle with a shoulder injury, coach Russell Domingo said.
South Africa are now hoping the 32-year-old might be able to play in the two Twenty20 internationals which follow the five ODIs and serve as a warm-up for the World Twenty20 in India in March.
Steyn hurt his shoulder in the first Test against England in Durban just after Christmas and has not been able to bowl since despite South Africa officials saying that a scan had revealed no obvious muscle damage.
Fellow paceman Vernon Philander has also not recovered from an ankle injury suffered on tour in India in November and is unlikely to feature either.
Reuters
