India vs South Africa | JP Duminy to lead SA in T20Is against India
All-rounder JP Duminy has been handed the responsibility to lead SA in the upcoming T20I series against India as Faf du Plessis continues to recover from his injury. However, Cricket South Africa has excluded the likes of Hashim Amla, Aiden Markram and Imran Tahir from the three-match series.
South Africa would want to take control of the reins right from the very beginning in the T20Is after their poor performance and lengthy injury list took the ongoing ODI series out of their hands. However, keeping an eye on the tricky upcoming series against Australia next month, CSA has decided to rest few crucial players in the shortest format. Under JP Duminy’ captaincy, the Proteas squad will feature the reliable AB de Villiers apart from the RAM Slam stars like Christiaan Jonker, Junior Dala, and Reeza Hendricks.
“Christiaan Jonker has been one of the most explosive finishers in domestic T20 cricket in recent seasons and his selection, together with that of Junior Dala, gives players who have performed well at franchise level the opportunity to show that they can compete at the highest level. Heinrich Klaasen's recent performance speaks for itself. Reeza Hendricks gets another opportunity for the same reason, having been the highest runs scorer in this season's RAM SLAM Challenge," said Linda Zondi, the CSA National Selection Panel Convener, reported Cricbuzz.
Yet to be capped Jonker, was the top scorer for the Warriors in the Ram Slam T20 tournament, while Hendricks was the highest run-getter in the tournament and both have been rewarded for their hard work. Hendricks was, however, a surprise retention in the squad after his terrible T20I outing against England last year, where he had registered three single-digit scores.
Test specialists Hashim Amla and Aiden Markram will take the back seat to remain fresh for the upcoming Australia series along with spinner Imran Tahir, which would provide opportunities to the likes of Tabraiz Shamsi and Aaron Phangiso.
"With the Sunfoil Test Series against Australia starting only 5 days after the completion of the T20 Series it is necessary for us to rest some of the players who have featured in virtually all our international matches so far this summer. These include Hashim Amla and Aiden Markram among the batsmen as well as most of our frontline fast bowlers. AB de Villiers has missed quite a lot of cricket this summer so he will play in the T20 Series.
"We have also decided to give Imran Tahir a break. He remains our first-choice spin bowler in both white ball formats. But we need to give more game time to Tabraiz Shamsi and Aaron Phangiso. The next ICC World Twenty20 is not all that far away in 2020 so it is important that we develop and examine our resources for that tournament," Zondi added.
South Africa T20I XI: JP Duminy (capt), Farhaan Behardien, Junior Dala, AB de Villiers, Reeza Hendricks, Christiaan Jonker, Heinrich Klaasen, David Miller, Chris Morris, Dane Paterson, Aaron Phangiso, Andile Phehlukwayo, Tabraiz Shamsi, Jon-Jon Smuts.
In the last 5 IND vs SA ODIs, SA was bowled out twice, while IND was bowled out only once.
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