South Africa’s ODI squad announcement this week brings a generally strong lineup to the fore, but a few notable absences raise some eyebrows.
If this selection truly reflects “a continuation of vision 2019 as we develop our squad for the 2019 World Cup in England,” as national selection panel convener Linda Zondi stated on Thursday, then it’s surprising to see that Wihan Mulder hasn’t made the cut.
Ottis Gibson has made it clear how much value this talented all-rounder adds, bringing depth and flexibility to the team. After debuting in the ODI series against Bangladesh in October 2017, many expected Mulder to cement his place. While only 19, and with a bright future ahead, it would have been great to see him feature now, especially in the upcoming India series.
The inclusion of Tabraiz Shamsi is an interesting choice. He currently leads the wicket-taking charts in the Momentum One Day Cup by a wide margin, but having two wrist spinners in the squad feels excessive. Such a selection might suit conditions in India, but at home, selecting either Shamsi or Imran Tahir would suffice. The absence of a finger spinner like Keshav Maharaj might prove costly for the Proteas.
Farhaan Behardien, despite being overlooked, deserves more recognition. He’s been sidelined for some time now, but his consistent performances at the domestic level have been excellent. Unfortunately, he has struggled to replicate this form internationally, often due to being sent in too late or pigeonholed as a finisher.
The Proteas seem to be focusing on Khaya Zondo as the fresh face moving forward. This has been a long time coming. As the Dolphins captain, Zondo certainly merits consideration, and while breaking into the current middle order will be tough, he might carve out a spot ahead of David Miller at times.
Dane Paterson’s absence is notable as well, but it appears his death-bowling skills are being reserved for T20 internationals, while Dwaine Pretorius didn’t quite make the cut given the presence of stronger all-round options like Chris Morris and Andile Phehlukwayo.
With a squad still under development and Zondi’s statement that “our vision is to give opportunities to fringe players and we will continue this policy throughout the build-up to the World Cup,” some experimentation with the India ODIs is expected. However, they need to be cautious not to err too much, lest they follow in Australia’s footsteps, whose recent Test dominance has been undermined by poor limited-overs performances.
The views expressed here are those of the author personally and do not represent those of Hollywoodbets.
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