The Proteas begin their 4 match test series against India tomorrow in the last leg of their 10 week long tour. The biggest talking points that have come out the camp are that of the youngsters in the team having to step up and fill the roles of the “big boys”. Case and point? JP Duminy is still in doubt as he recovers from split webbing, if he doesn’t make the full recovery, Temba Bavuma, SA A’s second highest run scorer in their tour to India will have to step up and fill JP’s shoes. Stiaan van Zyl has a point of his own to prove at the top of the order along wih bowlers Simon Harmer and Kagiso Rabada.
It is an unfamiliar sight to see the Proteas going through a restructuring phase in their test team, but this is something that needed to happen, and it couldn’t have come at a better time as these youngsters are in the form of their lives.
A debate that will keep on going for many years is that of who will take over the duties of Wicket Keeper. The Proteas have yet to settle on a replacement since losing one of the worlds best in 2012, Mark Boucher. Dane Villas has been drafted in but we’ve also seen stints form ODI Captain, AB de Villiers and ODI opening batsman, Quinton de Kock.
Many exciting things lie ahead of the #1 Test nation in the World and it is good to see an inclusion of new names within the team.
Here’s to waking up at 5 am every morning for the next month.
Writing for Kovsie Fm Sport, my name is Sam “Uncle Sam” Ludidi
Kovsie Fm Sport 