He's very good but @Slifer is talking about the SA attack as if it's blasted away every batting order it's come across and is basically unplayable. Its actual results over the last few years have been some distance short of that, mostly because Philander and Morkel retiring has left little established support for Rabada and he can't do it all alone.
You do realise he averages over 40 in Tests with a double digit number hundreds, yes? Those players don't grow on trees. He'd be one of the last players I'd look at replacing.
It's held up by an excellent first 3 years. Apart from a productive 2019, he's been utterly mediocre. Probably true that he's still better than anyone not named Pujara or kohli though.
As it stands I absolutely agree. Rabada is class,and Maharaj is the best spinner we have had post isolation(Ahead of notable Test spinners like Harris,Boje,Tahir etc. I kid,he can bowl). But I don't think anyone knows who the next two bowlers are now. Ngidi has fitness issues and Nortje has gas but is unproven. So this argument is fair.
2019 was last year! That actually counts for a lot.
Sure I don't disagree. I just don't think he's earned the right to be considered undroppable on the back of one good year where almost everyone in the lineup also got loads of runs.
I mean in this context he is absolutely undroppable. You've just lost your best batsman and have three relative (or actual) newbies in top six; considering dropping your second most experienced batsman and one who has scored runs in Australia before is crazy talk.
Op was about dropping him if he fails the rest of the series. Dropping him midway would be madness but if he does nothing the remaining games...?
I'd still consider it pretty mad tbh, unless you literally want to throw out everyone but Kohli and Pujara.
But for sloppy fielding, Australia would've barely made it pass 100 in this test. They'd be playing RSA away. Say what you want about RSA but their bowling has owned Australia's batting in their most recent encounters. Rabada, Duane, Ngidi and co , I fully expect them to castle this aussie batting line up. FWIW, more than another else, it was South Africa's batting that's let them down recently...
How many of those bowlers are still playing though? Yes Rabada's still there but Morkel, Abbott and Philander (as well as Steyn who didn't really play in those series) are no longer playing international cricket. Neither is Olivier. Ngidi and Nortje are good but they're clearly a step down from those guys IMO. I don't think it'll be a complete Aussie domination with the bat but I definitely think we'll still score enough runs for that series. The comparison to this Test is irrelevant AFAIC, India's bowling attack in this Test is well ahead of South Africa's current one (and that assumes full fitness).
Did you actually watch that series vs England? I don't see how you could characterise the bowling by SA in that series, bowling to an inexperienced and highly unproven at best England lineup, as the bowling of a team that is about to blast teams away for sub 100 scores.
Australia have 3 batsmen among the ICC top ten.
Yeah I think Nortje and Ngidi are decent prospects. But they're not Philander, Steyn, and Morkel -- and even then, it took, uh, a lot of external factors going on for SA to win their first home series against Aus since readmission.
Think he is. I don't think its particularly great but I'm struggling to think of a better line up at present
