Proteas by no means underdogs against Aussies: Shamsi

The Proteas will be up for a fight when they face off against Australia in their three-match T20 series despite not having played international cricket in more than four months, leg-spinner Tabraiz Shamsi said on Monday.

The energetic left-arm wrist spinner was speaking ahead of the first encounter against a strong Australia at Kingsmead on Wednesday (6pm).

The T20 series will be contested in Durban before the teams move inland to the Free State and Gauteng for a five-match ODI series in preparation for the ICC 50-over World Cup, which starts in India on October 5.

Shamsi feels no Proteas side should ever feel like underdogs, regardless of who they come up against.

“Why would the South African cricket team be underdogs against anybody?” he queried.

“Just look at the quality players we have in the changeroom. We have rested a few of our senior players, but the new guys coming in are not the weak links.

“So no, absolutely not, no matter who the opposition is or how good they are, we respect them but we are not underdogs against any team in the world,” Shamsi said.

Having only recently returned to the national fold after weaving his magic for the Galle Titans in the Lanka Premier League, where he took 12 wickets in nine matches, Shamsi is satisfied with his form.

“Huge credit must go to the management and coaching staff behind the scenes because we haven't played international cricket for about four months.

“We have had about four or five camps behind the scenes to keep the boys going and that takes a lot of work to organise. So, they have been quite active with allowing guys to play in various leagues because you can train as much as you want, [but] nothing replaces game time.

“For me, it was nice to go to Sri Lanka and play in the subcontinent. So, in terms of being game ready, it helps that I have played quite a lot of games in the last month rather than coming in fresh after a four-month break.”

Asked if this T20 and ODI series were warm-up events for the ODI World Cup, Shamsi said: “It doesn't feel like that for me.

“The way the coaches have been putting us through our paces, I don't think it feels like that to them either.

“It's a series against Australia who are a very good team, and so are we.

“Over the years, playing against Australia has always been one of those series everyone is up for. Whether we are in a good or bad patch, whenever the Australians come around we know everyone is up for it.

“I don't get the feeling from the group or coaching staff this [series] is just a warm-up. The new guys who've come in have the potential to win games, it's not a case of resting guys and giving guys caps just for the sake of it.

“From our side, we definitely here to win the series, our preparations have shown that.”

Reuters reports experienced wicketkeeper-batsman Matthew Wade will replace injured all-rounder Glenn Maxwell in the Australia squad for the limited overs tour, the team said on Monday.

Maxwell was originally scheduled to return to Australia for the birth of his first child after the T20 series but aggravated an ankle injury during a training session.

Wade helped Australia to their T20 World Cup triumph in 2021 several months after playing his most recent Tests and ODIs.