Bavuma: ‘IPL issue should have been dealt with earlier, more urgently’

The Proteas named an IPL-less Test squad to take on Bangladesh in their two match series, following the three match ODI series starting at SuperSport Park in Centurion on Friday.

This sees the team missing out on their current frontline pace trio of Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi and Marco Jansen, while batsman Rassie van der Dussen and struggling all-rounder Aiden Markram will also be unavailable.

All five of the players will however be involved in the ODI series, along with ODI-only IPL players Quinton de Kock and David Miller, and will jet off to the money spinning event in India at the conclusion of the series next Wednesday.

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Proteas ODI captain Temba Bavuma pulled no punches in his pre-match presser on Thursday, when he admitted that it was an unenviable situation and one that should have been dealt with long before.

“Having all your assets at your disposal is obviously something that as a captain you would like, so I am happy to have them available for the ODI’s,” said Bavuma.

“My opinion on the situation is I think it’s a far from an ideal one. From a player point of view, as someone not affected by the IPL at all, I think we would have liked this decision to have been dealt with earlier, with a lot more urgency.

“I think the fact that on the eve of a one day series and when the Test squad is supposed to be announced, we are still not sure what is happening, at least from my point of view.

“I think we should have learnt from previous years, especially last year with our series against Pakistan, and a decision could have been made a lot earlier by everyone involved.”

Coming into the Dean Elgar-led side for the Test series taking place in Durban and Gqeberha from 31 March to 12 April is debutant Khaya Zondo, while Lizaad Williams, Daryn Dupavillon and Keegan Petersen make returns having missed the series in New Zealand.

Proteas Test squad: Dean Elgar (c), Temba Bavuma (vc), Daryn Dupavillon, Sarel Erwee, Simon Harmer, Keshav Maharaj, Wiaan Mulder, Duanne Olivier, Keegan Petersen, Ryan Rickelton, Lutho Sipamla, Glenton Stuurman, Kyle Verreynne, Lizaad Williams, Khaya Zondo