#ICYMI: CSA coach Otis Gibson pleased with squad’s progress
MELROSE – Proteas coach Otis Gibson speaks about the upcoming Sri Lanka tour and AB de Villiers.
With the Proteas’ squad annual fitness and medical assessments taking place this week ahead of their tour to Sri Lanka, all the talk was about the retirement of AB de Villiers from all forms of the game.
Proteas head coach Ottis Gibson spoke to the media at Cricket South Africa headquarters in Melrose.
“The announcement came as a shock to me and I tried talking him out of it but he said he had spoken about it to all the people he needed to speak to and the decision was made,” Gibson said.
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He said De Villiers was one of the best and it would have been awesome to give him a proper send-off. The focus now was to get the remaining group together and work to get them ready for the tour of Sri Lanka in July. The Proteas will play two Test matches, five One-Day Internationals and a T20 International match on the sub-continent.
On being asked whether he was pleased with the squad’s progress in his second season, Gibson replied, “Yes indeed, to win eight out of 10 Test matches as well as the two big series was very good and injuries we overcame really gave us an opportunity to sit back and assess where we are in terms of world cricket.
“We need to be able to go to Sri Lanka next month and adapt to those conditions if we’re to get back at number one.”
Gibson added that the selectors would meet on 23 June to discuss the squad for Sri Lanka.
Referring to the South African Cricket awards that will take place on 2 June, Gibson said, “It is my first cricket awards night so I am very excited about it. I pick Advocate Dali Mpofu to receive a special award for helping to overturn Kagiso Rabada’s ban ahead of the Cape Town Test against Australia,” Gibson said.
He also mentioned Lungi Ngidi’s notable performances in the IPL and how they were expecting great things from him moving forward. Gibson said Rabada, who was recuperating from a back problem, was fairing very well, doing a lot of rehab and training, and would start bowling for his sports club towards the end of May.
Details: Cricket South Africa, info@cricket.co.za
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