Proteas to use Netherlands to rest regular players for blockbuster all-format Indian tour

Proteas coach Mark Boucher has said the team will use the three-match ODI series with the Netherlands later this month to rest several test players and allow them enough recovery and preparation time to be ready for combat in time for the money-spinning all-format tour of India in December.

An exciting international home summer of cricket is awaiting Boucher’s team, who first host the Netherlands on November 26 and 28 at SuperSport Park in Centurion and on December 1 at the Wanderers in Johannesburg.

“The focus for me is to shift straight to the next series, which is the Netherlands,” said Boucher speaking to the media virtually after the Proteas arrival from their unsuccessful T20 World Cup in the United Arab Emirates.

The three ODIs are part of the Cricket World Cup Super League with 30 crucial points — 10 for a win, five for a tie or abandoned match and nothing for a defeat — on offer.

The stakes are high and the Proteas find themselves in a spot of bother to get an automatic qualification for the 50-overs World Cup in India in 2023.

The Proteas are currently ninth on the 13-team Super League table with 34 points from nine matches and cannot afford a slip-up against the Dutch, who prop up the table on 20 points, but have played six games fewer.

The Super League is the governing body ICC’s new qualification pathway for teams for the men's 10-team World Cup in 2023 in India.

The top eight teams, including host nation India, will automatically qualify while the other five countries will play in qualifiers with five other associate nations.

Only two teams from the qualifiers will qualify for the World Cup and SA is too proud a cricket nation to sneak in through the playoffs.

“There are obviously games that we have to win there in order to qualify and that for me is the next focus for us as a team, but we can’t look past a very important test series at home against India.”

The selectors made a number of interesting selections for the Proteas 16-member squad to host the Netherlands, including recalls for Khaya Zondo and Wayne Parnell, while batters Zubayr Hamza and Ryan Rickelton got their maiden call-ups.

Keshav Maharaj will captain the team in the absence of rested Temba Bavuma, who misses out on the Dutch clash, along with Quinton de Kock, Aiden Markram, Rassie van der Dussen, Kagiso Rabada and Anrich Nortjé.

“A few of our players are involved in all different formats and have been away and some of them from Sri Lanka, West Indies and Ireland to the IPL then the World Cup. A bubble after another can be quite challenging mentally and physically,” said Boucher, adding that the Proteas will still put out a balanced and competitive team.

“It is about resting a few players and obviously giving opportunities to a few guys, also knowing that results have to go our way against the Netherlands.

“So I think the focus for me right now, the first prize is the test series against India and obviously the Netherlands.”

The fact that the next T20 World Cup is less than a year away, the former wicketkeeper-batter emphasised the need to keep the right personnel for the conditions in Australia in October and November next year.

“Personnel wise, we will be going to different conditions and we will have to look at the makeup of the team.

“We sort of prepared for subcontinent conditions going into this World Cup. Having a look at not only two outright seamers and playing two spinners, the next tournament we might have to get an extra seamer.

“We will also need a mental shift and I think we can sit down as a team, and this is where we have been going for a long period of time now, just challenging guys to think differently and be smart.

“I think we have sort of found a way to win games of cricket in these conditions.”