Team is in transition after loss of players like Dale Steyn and Hashim Amla, says South Africa's Team Analyst
After a disappointing World Cup followed by the and the retirements of Hashim Amla and Dale Steyn (from Tests) earlier this week, South African cricket is in metamorphosis. South African team analyst Prasanna Agoram has opined that these events have put ahead a lot of challenges for the team.
In Prasanna's opinion, however, the team has enough talents like Rabada, Ngidi and Nortje, who can sail the ship ahead for South Africa. “It is always difficult losing players like Amla and Steyn and I don’t think you can replace them easily. But at the same time, we have some promising players who have been around and the kind of mentoring Steyn has done with these young fast bowlers like (Kagiso) Rabada, (Lungi) Ngidi and (Anrich) Nortje has been phenomenal," Prasanna told Sportstar.
Agoram, who is also with Dindigul Dragons as part of the TNPL, admitted that while the team is going through a transition phase, but there is enough talent in the side to turn things around quickly.
Hashim Amla was a huge prospect for South Africa since he was at the zenith of his ODI career a few years back. But in the last couple of years, Amla’s form declined unwaveringly. “Every batsman towards the end of his career goes through issues like slowing reflexes or issues with eyesight, etc. Even in the last 12 months he was averaging around 40 across formats, but maybe he was not matching the standards he had set for himself during his dream run and belting tons like like the way he used to, " said Prasanna.
A former U-19 player from Tamil Nadu, Prasanna, however, refused to draw to timelines as to when the transition phase will come to an end. “I won’t use transition as an excuse and that we will be competitive in two or three years. We have some really promising talents with bat and ball, and I won’t be surprised if we are strong right from the series against India.”
South Africa will tour India later this year, starting from September 15, for three T20Is followed by three Test matches.