Chance for younger players to shine as Proteas door is opened

With their sights set on the Cricket World Cup in India later this year, the Proteas management team won’t want to experiment too much with the national one-day side.

It is, however, promising to see them creating opportunities for younger players in the T20 format.

The hosts will not be underestimating Australia on their home tour starting later this month, but they have opted to rest multiple senior players ahead of the ODI series, announcing four uncapped players in the T20 squad.

The have also reintroduced veteran players Temba Bavuma, Rassie van der Dussen and Keshav Maharaj to the T20 squad, who will add valuable experience in the absence of a handful of star players, but all eyes will be on some of the country’s most promising youngsters.

Exciting talent

Most exciting, perhaps, is the highly anticipated Proteas debut of 20-year-old batter Dewald Brevis, a former SA U-19 star who has the potential to inject some real energy into the squad.

In addition, Brevis will have a chance to compete in the ODI series as well, with the Proteas coaches and selectors giving him a chance to launch what is expected to be a spectacular top-flight international career.

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Similarly, 22-year-old seamer Gerald Coetzee has been shown some confidence after being given an opportunity to add to his two ODI caps and potentially secure his place in the World Cup squad.

Brevis and Coetzee are also joined in the T20 squad by batters Donovan Ferreira and Matthew Breetzke, who are both under the age of 26.

Golden opportunity

Though they will return for the ODI series against Australia, the absence of Quinton de Kock, Heinrich Klaasen, David Miller, Anrich Nortje and Kagiso Rabada (as well as injured batter Rilee Rossouw) will leave some very big shoes to fill in the Proteas T20 squad.

With a golden opportunity to prove themselves as part of the next generation of senior players, however, the younger brigade might be motivated enough to carry South Africa over the line against Australia.

And if the likes of Brevis and Coetzee stand up in the ODI series as well, they could snatch places in the World Cup squad. That should be enough reward on offer for them to shine.