Miller, De Kock Named In Full-strength South Africa Squad For Australia ODIs

Miller, de Kock named in full-strength South Africa squad for Australia ODIs (Visakhapatnam: 3rd ODI Match: India vs South Africa)

ODI World Cup: South Africa have named their squad for the upcoming three-match ODI series against Australia that kicks off their home season.

Regular captain Temba Bavuma is back, while senior batters David Miller and Quinton de Kock are also part of the ODI series, which starts on September 24 in Durban, as it seems they are pretty much in the scheme of things for the ODI World Cup 2027. The Proteas have named a 16-member squad, which was as close to their available full strength as possible.

Both Miller and de Kock are not currently centrally contracted but played in the T20 World Cup earlier this year.

The squad sees the return of Gerald Coetzee, who last played an ODI in the 2023 World Cup, as he fills in the void left by Kagiso Rabada, who is out of the ODIs and racing to be fit for the Tests due to his hamstring injury.

Coetzee has been hampered by injuries in the last few years, but his return gives a shot in the arm to the Proteas side. "It's great to see Gerald back in the fold and, by all accounts, he's been bowling nice and quickly," South Africa's head coach Shukri Conrad said in a statement.

The Proteas are keeping an eye on Rabada's recovery, while Conrad added that Anrich Nortje was not considered for the series.

"KG is out of the ODIs, and we are constantly monitoring his rehabilitation. When we sit down to select a Test squad, we will make an informed decision. He is tracking nicely, going on reports from physios," Conrad said during a press conference on Monday.

"Anrich Nortje was not considered for the ODIs. I don't think he has done enough for now, but don't be surprised if he played the Bangladesh series," he added on Nortje.

Meanwhile, swashbuckling batter Dewald Brevis is not part of the squad as he will be preparing for the Test season, with him featuring in first-class cricket. Aiden Markram will be available for the second and third ODIs.

"Everybody who is not here or in the A side will be playing the first round of first-class cricket," Conrad said. "And everyone not in the ODI squad will play in the second round. That includes Dewald. He competes for a spot in the middle-order, and there he competes with Matthew Breetzke, Tristan Stubbs and David Miller. He will definitely get a crack at ODIs in the Bangladesh series.

"We've got six ODIs before we play England. The England squad will be a shadow squad for the World Cup. We've got a few guys vying for space at the top in terms of Aiden, Ricks, Quinny and Tony. It's just about making sure everyone gets a fair crack at it."

Conrad stated that the series is crucial for their plans for the ODI World Cup 2027. "With the World Cup just over a year away, this series marks an important step in shaping the squad as we build towards the tournament, while also giving those players who are in the frame opportunities when we face Bangladesh and England later in the season," Conrad said.

"We have a clear idea of the combinations we want and the roles we need players to fulfil. From a batting perspective, we've looked at making sure we have a middle order that can be explosive but have the ability to absorb pressure and take the innings quite deep. That balance is going to be important for us."

Conrad stated that the series is crucial for their plans for the ODI World Cup 2027. "With the World Cup just over a year away, this series marks an important step in shaping the squad as we build towards the tournament, while also giving those players who are in the frame opportunities when we face Bangladesh and England later in the season," Conrad said.

Temba Bavuma (capt), Ottneil Baartman, Corbin Bosch, Matthew Breetzke, Gerald Coetzee, Quinton de Kock, Tony de Zorzi, Bjorn Fortuin, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Kwena Maphaka, Aiden Markram, David Miller, Lungi Ngidi, Ryan Rickelton, Tristan Stubbs

Article Source: IANS