This month's three-Test series already looms as a battle of the bowlers, with Australia's big four fit and the hosts hopeful of having Kagiso Rabada back at some stage.
But much of the attention ahead of Australia's first Test series in South Africa since the 2018 ball-tampering scandal has been on the tourists' batting, after they played three two-day Tests in the space of a year.
The batting was exposed against Bangladesh in Darwin and Mackay in August, with Pat Cummins' side bowled out for scores of 198, 284 and 210 in the drawn series.
It was also inconsistent in last summer's 4-1 Ashes win, with scores of beyond 500 in Brisbane and Sydney mixed with three totals below 160 in rapid-fire affairs.
"We have been playing fast-forward cricket, if you want to call it that, in the conditions that we've been in," coach McDonald said ahead of Friday's first Test in Durban.
"If we get some flat periods in this series, it'll be the ability to go big, put the scoreboard pressure back onto the opposition.
"It's more mental really, to just get back into that tempo of just rolling through the overs, knocking them around, building totals.
"And we have seen that when we have had flat surfaces, we have had the ability to do that as well."
McDonald's comments came before vice-captain Travis Head came out swinging against critics from Australia's golden generation on Wednesday, noting conditions and the game had changed significantly since that cohort were playing.
The opener claimed past players were being unfair when they "put a bullet through" current batters, noting averages had dropped worldwide and at home in the Sheffield Shield.
Australia remain the No.1-ranked side in the world, ahead of the Proteas, while a win in South Africa would help set up a big year with tours of India and England looming in 2027.
"We've got an incredibly talented batting unit that have put on some significant numbers over a period of time," McDonald said.
"And relative to the rest of the world, they're still going really well.
"We're the No.1-ranked team for a reason. People are looking into our batting. Well, it's been functional, or it's been at a higher functioning level than the opposition.
"So that's always a tell that the conditions have been difficult."
Australia do have decisions to make before Friday, with Cameron Green out of the first Test with an abdominal strain and unlikely to bowl in the series.
Nic Maddinson and Cooper Connolly are vying for his spot, with the former's ability against spin making him a chance to play his first Test in almost a decade.
Beau Webster and Head also loom as spinning options with the ball, with a thought the drier Kingsmead wicket may turn early.
That would play into the hands of Durban product Keshav Maharaj, with left-arm finger spin having proven a threat against Australia in recent years.
Head, meanwhile, is certain to open despite an external call to return him to No.5, after three centuries at the top of the order in last summer's Ashes.
"I have laughed at a fair bit of it (that talk), because if a traditional opening batter had pushed out the same sort of numbers in his first 20 innings, he'd be pretty safe," Head said.
"I had a great summer, I missed out in Darwin and I'm no good at it again. So that doesn't bother me the slightest.
"I've played long enough to know that that happens. More than likely it will happen Friday if I open the batting and miss out."
22°C