Africa-Press – South-Africa. Proteas white-ball coach Rob Walter said they won’t be pressuring lead Test spinner Keshav Maharaj into a hasty recovery for the Cricket World Cup later this year.
Now that South Africa’s qualification is assured after Tuesday’s washout between Ireland and Bangladesh in Chelmsford, SA is in need of a crack spinner who can also bat.
Bjorn Fortuin filled the role in Maharaj’s absence, but there still remains a concern over Tabraiz Shamsi’s form, especially in ODI cricket.
Maharaj tore his Achilles tendon on the fourth day of the second Test against the West Indies in early March.
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He went for a scan and surgery in the week after the terrible impingement, but there hasn’t been any word on the time Maharaj needs to recover.
The dates of the World Cup haven’t been set in stone, but with a mooted early October to mid-November run to ensure the monsoon clears off the sub-continent, Maharaj is already in a race against time.
Walter said Maharaj is progressing well, but he needs to take as much time as possible to recover and get back to fitness.
“Kesh is progressing well and with the Achilles, it is a long-term injury, so it’s hard to say when he’ll exactly be ready,” Walter told News24.
“We don’t want him to be pressurising himself to get back on the park. He needs to listen to his body and take care.
“We need to take care of him from our side. He’ll be ready when he’s ready and if that means he’ll be ready for World Cup selection, that’ll be a huge positive.”
With the World Cup taking place early in the Indian season after the freshening monsoon rains, pitch preparations could be far removed from what’s commonly expected later in the season when most teams are in India.
The ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) has seen a glut of runs being scored on tracks that ideally should be tired from seasonal use, but they have proven to be very batter friendly.
Walter said spin will definitely play a role in the World Cup, but the broader scope of pitches and varied conditions across India will require shrewd use of bowling resources.
“You will have seen in the IPL how some grounds are seam friendly, from where they have good pace and bounce,” Walter said.
“You get some that spin, so there’s the broad spectrum of conditions that we’ll be presented with. I’d love to think that the days of the ball spinning square in short format games are past.
“There aren’t many venues that provide such wickets.”
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