South Africa Returns to Shake off their Rust and Prove That They are a Quality Side

South Africa has been inactive in international Cricket since April when they snuck into the Final Draw without having to take part in the World Cup qualifiers. The rust was pretty evident when South Africa folded cheaply with both bat and ball. For both men and women though the upcoming year is a big one for South Africa. The women’s side has had some retirements to contend with and the men’s side has a new support staff and some exciting young talent.

During the last World Cup in 2019 though, South Africa’s main concern was their bowling. They had a very talented bowling unit leading up to the tournament. Come the tournament though, Lungi Ngidi was injured, Dale Steyn had a shoulder issue, Kagiso Rabada had a niggle of his own, and Anrich Nortje was ruled out a month prior to the tournament. Barring Dale Steyn, the names are the same this time around, and South Africa will be very careful in ensuring that those names stay fit and fresh.

South Africa’s stock in international cricket may not be as high as it was earlier but they are a side that has the quality and they are on their way with a series against Australia. Coming into the T20s though, South Africa is taking a cautious but experimental approach. They have rested their frontline players giving extra responsibilities to the likes of Tristin Stubbs while also allowing Dewald Brevis and Donovan Ferreira a taste of international cricket.

Brevis and Ferreira are pretty active in the franchise circuit and an extended run for both of them could give South Africa options heading into the 2024 T20 World Cup. With the full squad though the competition looks a lot tighter. The top order is pretty set with Quinton De Kock and Temba Bavuma taking their spots while Reeza Hendricks is an option too. A middle order with Aiden Markaram, Tristin Stubbs, Rassie Van Der Dussen and David Miller is full of quality as well.

South Africa’s main strength though will be with their bowling yet again. They have raw pace with Anrich Nortje, a spearhead in Kagiso Rabada and a pacer who could make life difficult on Indian tracks with his change of pace in Lungi Ngidi. The spin attack is pretty well rounded too with Tabraiz Shamsi and Keshav Maharaj fighting for spots. With a lot of quality though it is tough to see South Africa coming in as underdogs. Although they have a famous tag, which was recently seen in the T20 World Cup as well, they still posses a lot of firepower and are a very strong force to reckon with.