Two Steps forward and five steps back.
The selectors may need to make some bold calls in order to save the test team.
Whilst thinking about the Proteas’ recent defeat to Australia and going through some stuff on the internet, I came across this quote by former Sri Lankan Wicket-keeper batter, Kumar Sangakkara. This quote got me asking myself a lot of questions as I was trying to make sense of the Proteas’ performance. The quote reads, “Actually nobody can be perfect in cricket. Everybody makes mistakes. It is important to learn from your mistakes and correct them.” I sat for a while and wondered if the Proteas batters are actually aware of their shortcomings at this point because every batting innings is a repeat of their last batting innings.
The Proteas batting has been an issue for a number of years now and seemingly, things might not even get better anytime soon, and it does seem like, at this point nobody in the team seems to know what to do or where to start. When Dale Benkenstein was batting coach, questions around him as a batting coach were raised because Proteas batters were just not scoring runs. Jacques Kallis came on as batting consultant and things also did not change. The team currently has Justin Sammons and things do not seem to be getting better either. The Proteas have been able to get away with a poor batting line-up in test cricket this year in the current test championship but, a series loss to England and today’s defeat to Australia inside2 days, exposed the team’s batting frailties. Have we been pointing fingers at the wrong people all along? For months, the emphasis had been on the coaching personnel and how they are failing to get our batters to perform as if the batters themselves are machines who cannot operate on their own. Perhaps, the batters being picked are simply not good enough and it is time to look at other options.
Two steps forward and five steps back?
When Ryan Rickelton and Khaya Zondo were included in the test squad, many of us were somewhat relieved because we assumed the team was finally taking steps in the right direction by bringing in fresh faces. The series against England came, both guys did not play even after we lost. The reason given by Dean Elgar was that they are going for guys with experience which is an argument that would hold water if they were talking about Hashim Amla or AB de Villiers but, he was talking about Aiden Markram and Rassie van der Dussen. As good as Aiden and Rassie are, they average 15.55 and 25.55 this year in test cricket, respectively. Aiden’s selection would make more sense over Rassie’s because Aiden is a few years younger, has a higher ceiling and has shown that he can play test cricket. He has shown even against a quality bowling attack like the one the Proteas faced against Australia. The squad announced for the tour to Australia left some of us shocked. After bringing in fresh faces in the form of Zondo and Rickelton, the selectors had decided to drop Rickelton owing to an ankle injury that has still seen him score 3 or 4 hundreds and take spectacular catches for the Lions but, I will leave that to CSA and Ricks. Aiden Markram was also dropped but what really shocked me the most is the return of Theunis de Bruyn and Rassie. One would have thought that the selectors, by now, will be looking to bring in fresh faces and not the old, tried, tested and failed. Theunis has batted 23 times in test cricket and averages 19.45. The only selection that perhaps makes some sense is that of Heinrich Klaasen, who played just one match and was dropped.
The Proteas batting woes will continue until things change in terms of selection and clear vision. One can hope that whoever will be taking over the team permanently will have a clear vision, clear philosophy, and a clear playing style and or brand of cricket that he wants the team to play… something that has been missing for a while in the team. For now, the target should still be to do well in the test championship. The team, regardless of how, has come too far and it would make South Africans really happy to see the team do well and maybe go on to clinch the test championship.
Almost every test nation has one or two batters who score most of its hundreds and this is something the Proteas can only dream of. The Proteas’ current batting line up is frustrating in that, even if we were to be patient with the guys, some of them might be heading very closer to retirement by the time they find their feet. If it were younger guys, an argument would be made for some patience, but the current batting line up is not so young.
It is going to take some time for the batting frailties to be remedied. However, there are a few places where they can start.
1. Selectors – Selectors need to make better and logical decisions. Bringing Rassie and Theunis back in the side but, dropping Ryan Rickleton and Aiden Markram does not make much sense considering that Ryan was barely given a chance, and Aiden has shown that he can do better than both Rassie and Theunis in test cricket.
2. Dean Elgar – For someone who is big on experience and accountability, Dean has shown zero accountability and experience. He needs to step up, going forward. When he was not captain, we at least knew he would score a hundred whenever it seemed like he would be in trouble but now, we are seeing none of that and it is worrying because he is one of the most experienced players in the side.
3. Temba Bavuma – We praise Temba for his form in the last couple of years and there is nothing wrong with that, but the truth is that we need more from him. He is a senior player in the team and for the newer guys to do well, Temba needs to make things a tad easier for them. The team needs Temba to score big runs and convert now. The 30s, 40s and odd 60s will not cut it. Temba and Dean Elgar both need to carry the batting line up or make way for someone else who can.
For a number of years now, we have been choosing the better devil when it comes to certain players and perhaps things need to change. We went from a side with 2/3 guys averaging 50 to a side that hardly has anyone touching 40 and that is not good enough. The selectors may need to make some bold calls in order to save the test team.
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