Melbourne, Jan 10 : Proteas skipper Graeme Smith has said that Ricky Ponting's side is eager for revenge in next month's Test series in South Africa, because defeat is hurting the Australian side and they are going to come back hard.

Smith wants to delay surgery on his troublesome right elbow and repel an Australian side eager for revenge in next month's Test series in South Africa.

"Australia is hurting and they are going to come back hard at us. We know with Australia you have to earn every inch and I think they have a lot of respect for us now," he said.

"We are going to need our guys to be fresh and so we are going to have to manage our bowlers during the one-day series in Australia. They know we never went away, and we pushed them all the way," Smith added.

Having played through pain all summer, another three Tests won't bother the Smith who mustered 1656 runs at 72.00 in 2008.

"I am really looking forward to being involved in the Test series back home," FOX Sports quoted Smith, as saying, during a welcome home reception in Johannesburg.

Smith will consult medicos in Cape Town to determine if he can postpone corrective surgery on his elbow until after Australia's three-Test tour commencing from February
26 in Johannesburg.

"It is really a matter of resting it and then finding a window of eight to 12 weeks so that I can have surgery," said Smith, who will also have further X-rays on his broken hand. "In the meantime we will just be treating it and keeping it manageable." (ANI)