Proteas spinner Keshav Maharaj admits form struggles

South Africa have already surrendered the three-match series and are looking increasingly likely to fall short in the third and final Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground, where Australia are currently on 475/4 after day two.

While the team's performances throughout the tour have left much to be desired, Maharaj's form, in particular, has come under scrutiny given his figures of 1/260 in just under 69 overs across the three matches so far.

The 32-year-old has not shied away from self-criticism and accepts that he will have plenty to rectify and improve in his game upon the completion of the series this weekend.

"There are good wickets here in Australia, obviously you're not going to get as much spin as you're probably used to anywhere else in the world, and the one thing you can work with is the bounce," Maharaj said.

"But also sometimes when you're behind the eight ball, it's very difficult to bowl in a certain way and you bowl with spread fields, and if you try and make a play it's sort of the batter's in, so it's a give and take.

"But I think it's more about being consistent. Probably not being at my consistent [best], if I'm honest with myself, in this tour and that's something that I really need to address going forward.

"Like I said, it's probably less bowling and keeping my mind fresh more than anything else, but I think it's about consistency with good field sets, probably very different to what you're going to expect when you go into different conditions, I would say."

Maharaj defended that he is merely experiencing a dip in his career, which is natural among athletes.

"I actually sat last night, thinking about the same thing. I don't think I've changed too much... I've been working really hard, sometimes you have ebbs and flows in your career and I think it's probably one of those, that are happening right now," he added.

"That's all I can allude it to, basically. It's not about preparation or lack of work, maybe the body is a bit tired, I don't know. I can only tell you that if I was a machine and you could plug me in to see how low my batteries are.

"But I think it's not from a lack of effort, I think it's more just probably ebbs and flows of someone's career and the way it goes."