CAPETOWN: Wicket-keeper batsman Quinton de Kock has replaced Faf du Plessis as skipper with five uncapped players named in South Africa’s squad to face England in three ODIs after their ongoing Test series.
Du Plessis’s exclusion from the squad comes off the back of a tough series for the top-order batsman, and comments made by him which suggest the final Test of the series may be his last on home soil.
In his absence, de Kock’s appointment is not surprising, and Cricket South Africa’s Director of Cricket Graeme Smith extolled his virtues after the news broke.
“We all know the quality of the player that Quinton de Kock has grown to become,” he said. “Over the years, we have watched him grow in confidence and become one of the top ODI wicket-keeper batsmen in the world. He has a unique outlook and manner in which he goes about his business and is tactically very street smart. We are confident that the new leadership role will bring out the best in him as a cricketer.”
The 27-year-old boasts 115 ODI caps with 4 907 runs. An exciting talent from the beginning, De Kock has been one of South Africa’s standout and most consistent batsmen for several seasons. #ProteasODIsquadAnnouncement pic.twitter.com/MtHx1vZzvD
— Cricket South Africa (@OfficialCSA) January 21, 2020
Three of the five uncapped players have got some international experience with Lutho Sipamla, Janneman Malan and Bjorn Fortuin all having made their T20I debuts last year.
Kyle Verreynne and 29-year-old Sisanda Magala on the other hand have not played in any international format – though Magala has played for South Africa A over the past few years.
Batsmen Verreynne and Malan, younger brother of Pieter Malan who recently debuted in the Test series against England, both make their way into the side with excellent domestic records.
The series will be the first ODIs South Africa have played since the end of their disappointing campaign at ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2019, with both Temba Bavuma and Lungi Ngidi coming back in to the fold since as well.
Squad: Quinton de Kock (captain), Reeza Hendricks, Temba Bavuma, Rassie van der Dussen, David Miller, Jon Jon Smuts, Andile Phehlukwayo, Lutho Sipamla, Lungi Ngidi, Tabraiz Shamsi, Sisanda Magala, Bjorn Fortuin, Beuran Hendricks, Janneman Malan, Kyle Verreynne.
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