***Official*** South Africa in India 2015

[SeamUp]

Squads announced for SA.

Cricket South Africa (CSA) today named three specialist spinners in the Proteas test squad for the four-match Mahatma Gandhi-Nelson Mandela Series against India.

Both Imran Tahir and Dane Piedt return to the squad to join incumbent Simon Harmer.

“We want to keep all our options open for the test Series,” commented CSA selection convener, Linda Zondi. “We also have JP Duminy as an option in this department and I believe we have covered all our bases by having both holding and attacking spin options in our squad. It is good to have Dane back from his injury and Imran was our No 1 spinner for our last test series on the sub-continent against Sri Lanka.”

Zondi also confirmed that Dane Vilas would retain the gloves in this format. “It is very important that we maintain consistency in our selections and Dane hardly had the chance to make his mark in Bangladesh where the series was so badly disrupted by the weather.”

Imran also returns to the Oxigen Proteas T20 squad in the place of Aaron Phangiso while there are also recalls for Chris Morris and Marchant de Lange. “The tour to India is a very long one,” emphasized Zondi. “It lasts for more than two months and we can’t expect Dale Steyn and Morne Morkel to field too heavy a workload. Chris comes back after a spell out through injury while Marchant has done well at the IPL. It is an ideal opportunity to explore our back-up options ahead of the ICC World Twenty20 which will be played in India. It is vital in this format to get wickets up front.

“Imran is our No 1 bowler in the T20 format and we need him to play every series between now and the ICC tournament while Eddie Leie will be our second spinner as we want to have another look at what he can do.

“Chris is also a potential candidate for a position as a bowling allrounder in the ODI team so this is another option we want to explore. We also believe he is well suited to the conditions we will encounter there.”

Rilee Rossouw has been ruled out of the T20 squad through injury but should return to full fitness in time for the ODI series. His place in the T20 squad will be taken by new cap, Khaya Zondo. The latter had the second best batting average of 38.50 (behind Quinton de Kock) for South Africa A in the recent triangular ODI series in India and also had the best strike rate of those who played in all four matches (106.94). He will become the 65th player to represent the Proteas in the T20 format.


TEST SQUAD: Hashim Amla (Cape Cobras, capt), AB de Villiers (The Unlimited Titans, vice-capt), Temba Bavuma (bizhub Highveld Lions), JP Duminy (Cape Cobras), Faf du Plessis (The Unlimited Titans), Dean Elgar (The Unlimited Titans), Simon Harmer (Warriors), Imran Tahir (Sunfoil Dolphins), Morne Morkel (The Unlimited Titans), Vernon Philander (Cape Cobras), Dane Piedt (Cape Cobras), Kagiso Rabada (bizhub Highveld Lions), Dale Steyn (Cape Cobras), Stiaan van Zyl (Cape Cobras), Dane Vilas (Cape Cobras).

ODI SQUAD: AB de Villiers (The Unlimited Titans, capt), Kyle Abbott (Sunfoil Dolphins), Hashim Amla (Cape Cobras), Farhaan Behardien (The Unlimited Titans), Quinton de Kock (The Unlimited Titans), JP Duminy (Cape Cobras), Faf du Plessis (The Unlimited Titans), Imran Tahir (Sunfoil Dolphins), David Miller (Sunfoil Dolphins), Morne Morkel (The Unlimited Titans), Chris Morris (The Unlimited Titans), Aaron Phangiso (bizhub Highveld Lions), Kagiso Rabada (bizhub Highveld Lions), Rilee Rossouw (VKB Knights), Dale Steyn (Nashua Cape Cobras).

T20 SQUAD: Faf du Plessis (The Unlimited Titans, capt), Kyle Abbott (Sunfoil Dolphins), Hashim Amla (Nashua Cape Cobras), Farhaan Behardien (The Unlimited Titans), Quinton de Kock (The Unlimited Titans), Marchant de Lange (The Unlimited Titans), AB de Villiers (The Unlimited Titans), JP Duminy (Nashua Cape Cobras), Imran Tahir (Sunfoil Dolphins), Eddie Leie (bizhub Highveld Lions), David Miller (Sunfoil Dolphins), Chris Morris (The Unlimited Titans), Kagiso Rabada (bizhub Highveld Lions), David Wiese (The Unlimited Titans), Khaya Zondo (Sunfoil Dolphins).

 

[Marius]

Decentish squads - surprised QDK isn't in the Test squad, but maybe it's better for the time being, let him get some game time at home and in the LOIs.

Zondo is an interesting pick, thought he'd make the side at some point.

 

[SeamUp]

Would probably be unfair on Vilas too. Didn't really get a chance.

Maybe a bit light with the quicks for the test series ? Must really be considering playing 2 spinners. Abbott a bit unlucky there.

Philander not in the ODI squad.

Morris preferred all-rounder for the 50-overs. Wiese's bowling is inconsistent and his slower balls probably best suited for T20.

 

[Marius]

Maybe a bit light with the quicks for the test series ? Must really be considering playing 2 spinners. Abbott a bit unlucky there.

Philander not in the ODI squad.

Morris preferred all-rounder for the 50-overs. Wiese's bowling is inconsistent and his slower balls probably best suited for T20.

Yeah, Rabada may well make his debut in India if one of the quicks gets injured.

Not sure we should play two spinners, we've done well in India with only one spinner before.

 

[AndyZaltzHair]

When it's starting? Looking forward to the series.

 

[Marius]

When it's starting? Looking forward to the series.

ESPN Cricinfo | South Africa | / Fixtures

T20s on 2 Oct, ODIs on 11 Oct, and Tests on 5 Nov.

 

[TheJammyTurtle]

Looks to me like they could well play 2 spinners if they picked 3 in the squad.Not sure if Verns bowling is suited to the subcontinent and the last time he had a large enough sample size of playing time(Sri Lanka) he struggled for wickets so he might well be the one to get the boot if they go down this route.

 

[OverratedSanity]

Really excited for this. Should be a lot of fun. Even though I think he's shown signs of decline for a couple of years, I'm terrified of Steyn

 

[Contra]

I'm surprisingly not that worried about Steyn actually, it helps that India play SA in the limited overs before the tests imo, the only thing that is going to screw us is Pujara not playing at home (still cringing at the thought) and Rohit getting worked up and trying to dominate Steyn because of what he said in the previous series.

Steyn might cause problems at Delhi though if the pitch is anything like it usually is...

 

[harsh.ag]

Really excited for this. Should be a lot of fun. Even though I think he's shown signs of decline for a couple of years, I'm terrified of Steyn

Nah, we got him. This is India's to lose.

 

[Daemon]

My biggest fear is that we fold to ****ing Tahir or Duminy or some bull****

 

[honestbharani]

Nah, we got him. This is India's to lose.

you.never.learn...


OS... The GGing should start as soon as possible to counteract harsh who seems to have turned heel in these tour threads..

 

[honestbharani]

Serious non-Gambhiring post... Terrified of what the RSA middle order will do to our bowlers.. No lefties for Ashwin to feast on and I am genuinely terrified of what Amla, Du Plessis, ABDV and Duminy can do to our bowlers in flat tracks.. Steyn and Morkel-Tahir-Vernon have a good couple of games and RSA win the series 2-0..



Can we expect this to be something near the XI RSA will field in the tests?


Elgar
(new opener)
Amla (c)
Du Plessis
ABDV
Duminy
Vilas (wk)
Philander
Steyn
Morkel
Tahir


3 seamers and Tahir as the main bowlers.. Duminy and Elgar to provide the other spin varieties as back up. Honestly think RSA will be very very tough to beat even in home conditions for us.

 

[harsh.ag]

Mishra and Ishant have the middle order covered. Ashwin and Umesh to take out the top and bottom. Only AB to score serious runs consistently, with a century each for Amla and du Plessis somewhere.

2-1 for us.

 

[AndyZaltzHair]

I am genuinely terrified of HB being so terrified

 

[AndyZaltzHair]

terrified

fear

Terrified

Halloween is on 31 October not today

 

[Prince EWS]

Serious non-Gambhiring post... Terrified of what the RSA middle order will do to our bowlers.. No lefties for Ashwin to feast on and I am genuinely terrified of what Amla, Du Plessis, ABDV and Duminy can do to our bowlers in flat tracks.. Steyn and Morkel-Tahir-Vernon have a good couple of games and RSA win the series 2-0..



Can we expect this to be something near the XI RSA will field in the tests?


Elgar
(new opener)
Amla (c)
Du Plessis
ABDV
Duminy
Vilas (wk)
Philander
Steyn
Morkel
Tahir


3 seamers and Tahir as the main bowlers.. Duminy and Elgar to provide the other spin varieties as back up. Honestly think RSA will be very very tough to beat even in home conditions for us.

It's actually pretty hard to guess which spinner they'll select. Harmer is the man in possession but was pretty average in Bangladesh, while Piedt seemed to have one hand on the spot before Harmer even got a go but got injured, then sort of got the mini-yips and is only just finding his way back. Like you I wouldn't be that surprised if they went back to Tahir given he's in the squad; he's the sort of guy I don't think they'd actually have in the squad as just injury cover.

Oh, and Amla and Faf will swap in that order. Rest is right though.

 

[indiaholic]

Scared that Steyn will just slice through our batting order at least twice. But TBH the sadness will be greater if he doesn't come up with a nerve popping performance.

 

[Contra]

Will be interesting to see what kind of performance AB puts up, he's never quite gunned it on pitches that actually spun in India. This is probably his peak batting wise with the kind of shots he has nowadays so will be interesting to see him vs our spinners.

 

[Niall]

Pray that people show up to this test series, empty grounds and India may not be keen to have to many more 4 test series in the future, no Sachin will they come to the grounds?

Anyway love this series, the 1-1 series around 2010 was fantastic, the double from Kallis, Ab did some beasting, Sres bowling a beast of a ball to dismiss Kallis, Laxman's remarkable 96. the battle between Sachin and Steyn when both seemed at their peak and that is just of the top of my head, probably one of my favourite test series of the last decade actually.