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A number of Proteas veterans should maybe look to step aside for some exciting young talent ahead of the 2027 Cricket World Cup.
Proteas veterans Rassie van der Dussen and Temba Bavuma should be thinking about whether to continue their international careers in the shorter format of the game. Picture: Lee Warren/Gallo Images
It’s time to give the Proteas a shake-up and make changes ahead of the 2027 Cricket World Cup, which South Africa will co-host with Zimbabwe and Namibia.
Some of the old guard have to go; let’s get the younger generation in.
The Champions Trophy, which came to an end last weekend, was possibly the last chance for a number of older heads to pick up some silverware, with them falling in the semifinals.
It was the third time in three years that the Proteas have made it into a major ICC competition knockout, and third time they haven’t gone all the way, after falling in the semis of the 50-over World Cup in 2023 and the final of the T20 World Cup last year.
In 2027, Rassie van der Dussen and David Miller will both be 38, Temba Bavuma, Keshav Maharaj and Tabraiz Shamsi will all be 37, and Heinrich Klaasen will be 36.
It wouldn’t make sense for all of them to retire, but maybe the ones who struggle for consistency should think about stepping away.
Consistency struggles
Van der Dussen for instance was one of the Proteas’ best players in the Champions Trophy, but he has largely struggled for consistency over the past few years, which can also be said about Bavuma and Shamsi.
Klaasen remains an enigma, as he can be one of the game’s most explosive batters one week, and flop terribly the next, and he would need to improve that consistency in the coming years.
Miller is arguably the one player that always seems to shine for the Proteas on the biggest stage. But the question will be whether he will still be able to play at his same high standard at 38 years old.
An exciting crop of youngsters are waiting in the wings and it’s now time to pick Dewald Brevis, Kwena Maphaka, Lhuan-dre Pretorius and Nqaba Peter, among others.
Add them to a group of youngsters with decent Proteas experience in Marco Jansen, Tristan Stubbs and Gerald Coetzee, and a number of experienced heads still in the mix like Kagiso Rabada, Aiden Markram and Wiaan Mulder, and it could be a recipe for success for the Proteas.
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