Bavuma must be wide-awake to pitfalls for Proteas at start of World Cup

South Africa have been here before to start a Cricket World Cup. No, not the same old questions about choking — which Temba Bavuma will face later this week — but the Arun Jaitley Cricket Stadium in New Delhi.

Back in 2011, the venue, which hosts South Africa's opening match against Sri Lanka on Saturday (10.30am SA time), was still called Feroz Shah Kotla Stadium, but as with all things Indian lately, the name was changed to honour a government minister. The Proteas started their World Cup campaign there, under the guidance of Graeme Smith, who on the eve of the opener against the West Indies got irritated about repeated enquiries about his team’s mental capacity for the tournament. 

Nothing will have changed for Bavuma when he faces the media on Friday — which should at least be more interesting than Wednesday’s “captain’s round-table” hosted by the ICC, where an understandably jet-lagged Proteas skipper appeared to almost nod off on stage. What will be different is South Africa’s approach.    

Pictures circulated on social media seemed to show Bavuma, having returned to South Africa for a family matter for a few days, and after a gruelling flight back to India that stopped in Dubai and Delhi to Ahmadabad, napping on stage. Later videos showed the captain, while clearly appearing tired, was looking down at his hands while listening.

The Proteas’ broader bowling strategy in 2011 was based around spin. A three-pronged spin attack overwhelmed the West Indies that late February afternoon in the Indian capital, laying the foundation for a comfortable seven-wicket win. 

Johan Botha, Robin Petersen and Imran Tahir, bowled 29 of the 47.3 overs at a ground that is famous for its uniquely angled stands. Tahir was the Proteas’ secret weapon. Hidden from view in a pre-tournament home series against India, his badge-kissing, arm-waving zealousness was unleashed at that tournament, starting with the opening match in which he took four wickets.

Botha claimed two, including that of Chris Gayle, thanks to another surprise ploy that saw the converted off-spinner open the bowling. Peterson went wicketless but provided sufficient control that built pressure allowing his teammates to strike.

Of this year’s group, only head coach Rob Walter and JP Duminy will have memories of that encounter. Walter was strength and conditioning coach, while Duminy — the batting coach this year — scored an unbeaten 42, sharing an 84-run partnership for the fifth wicket with AB de Villiers that sealed that match.

While hoping that the batting goes the same as it did 12 years ago, South Africa won’t be using the same bowling plan on Saturday because they don’t have three front-line spinners in the squad. Anything similar to 2011 at the weekend will involve the selection of both Keshav Maharaj and Tabraiz Shamsi, with the addition of Aiden Markram’s off-spin.

South Africa have made it clear they are basing their strategy for the competition around their fast bowlers, which is why the absence of Anrich Nortjé is such a blow. But there’s been sufficient time now for them to have figured out how they can absorb that loss, with the conditions at the venue on Saturday to dictate their options. 

A dry surface is likely to lead to both front-line spinners playing and Andile Phehlukwayo, with his range of cutters and slower balls, being given serious consideration over Gerald Coetzee’s pace.

What won’t be up for debate is starting the tournament well. South Africa did so in 2011, winning their first two matches, and while the competition’s format was different — with 14 teams split into two groups of seven as opposed to this year’s nine-match round-robin configuration — avoiding a sleepy start on Saturday will be essential. 

The Proteas' opener against Sri Lanka is at Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi.

England and New Zealand play the opening match of the World Cup on Thursday at Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmadabad (10.30am SA time).