Africa-Press – South-Africa. There’s sure to be lots of “who’s that guy?” from both Indian and South African supporters when the three-match ODI series between the two teams starts at the Wanderers on Sunday.
Though the Proteas have retained the core of the batting unit that carried them to the semifinal of the World Cup, apart from Keshav Maharaj the seam bowlers are as yet uncapped at ODI level. Nandre Burger got a taste of international cricket in Thursday’s T20 match but it is a rookie crew Aiden Markram will be relying on to bowl India out on Sunday.“I find it really exciting to be honest,” said Markram, who is standing in for Temba Bavuma as captain for this series. “The guys have done well in domestic cricket and through the form they showed there, have been given an opportunity to: one, be in the national team environment and two, potentially make debuts. It’s great for our system and for those players to get that experience and then take that back to their franchises and come back as better cricketers.”
India finds themselves in a similar position. Already missing Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Jasprit Bumrah, to prioritise the Test series, on Saturday head coach Rahul Dravid and three of his assistants left the ODI group behind to assist the Test party with its preparations.
Shreyas Iyer, will only play on Sunday and then he too will join the Test squad’s preparations. In addition, pace bowler Deepak Chahar has withdrawn from the ODI unit for personal reasons and will be replaced by Akash Deep, who has yet to play for his country.
“It does feel a bit strange, but that is how the game is going,” smiled India’s captain KL Rahul. “The schedule is such that not every player can be available for every format. The coach has a bigger responsibility because the Test series is the focus. It gives some of us as players a good opportunity to take on some extra responsibility.
Rahul adopted the same mantra as Markram, highlighting the importance of creating opportunities for players and with the series not having as much importance as the T20s — which was used as a vehicle to trial candidates for next year’s World Cup — or the Test matches, Rahul hoped they could ease into their work.
“We don’t expect the young faces to come out here and play like Rohit or Virat, that would be asking too much, too soon. It’s about winning this series, so figuring out what works for this group in these kinds of conditions,” he said.
As limited overs coach Rob Walter explained on Thursday night, Markram said Wiaan Mulder and Mihlali Mpongwana, had the chance to stake a claim to increase the depth in the all-rounders department.
“There are guys, who are not here, other great options for us around the country, who have been putting their hands up for those positions. We’ve got a lot of all-rounders, they are young, which is a blessing for us.”
Mpongwana, 23, has made a big impression for Western Province, culminating in a player of the match performance in the final of the One-Day Cup this season in which he made a century and took three wickets. “What stands out is that he is quite a young guy, but he thinks about the game in a great way, he’s really mature for his age and pretty streetwise when it comes to his plans and with how he adapts to each batter and conditions,” said Markram.
Andile Phehlukwayo is another player who will get more opportunities during the series, though consistency remains a concern, especially for a player with over 120 international caps to his name. “He almost sees himself now as a guy with a bit more responsibility,” said Markram.
Phehlukwayo will have to show that in how he performs, starting with Sunday’s ‘Pink ODI’.
Meanwhile India suffered a blow to their Test aspirations on Saturday when fast bowler, Mohammad Shami was ruled out of the series with an ankle injury. Shami has taken 35 wickets at an average of 23.22, with two five wicket hauls in the eight Tests he has played in South Africa previously. The BCCI did not name a replacement.
Squads for ODIs:
SA: Aiden Markram (capt), Ottniel Baartman, Nandre Burger, Tony de Zorzi, Reeza Hendricks, Heinrich Klaasen, Keshav Maharaj, Mihlali Mpongwana, David Miller, Wiaan Mulder, Rassie van der Dussen, Kyle Verreynne, Lizaad Williams.
India: Ruturaj Gaikwad, Sai Sudharsan, Tilak Varma, Rajat Patidar, Rinku Singh, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (capt), Sanju Samson, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, Mukesh Kumar, Avesh Khan, Arshdeep Singh, Deepak Chahar, Akash Deep.
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