South Africa Announce 15-Man Squad For ODI Series Against England; Quinton de Kock Named Captain

Cricket South Africa (CSA) on Tuesday has named Quinton de Kock as the new ODI captain, replacing the veteran Faf Du Plessis. Not only has Du Plessis has been sacked as the skipper, but he has also not been named for the ODI series against England. Du Plessis was primarily expected to step down as the leader after Proteas managed to win only three matches in the 2019 World Cup and failing to make it to the semi-final of the coveted tournament.

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The 35-year old also indicated that the third Test against England in Port Elizabeth would be his last home Test. CSA director Graeme Smith spoke highly of wicketkeeper-batsman de Kock, whom he remarked as resolute and growing from strength to strength over the last couple of years or so. The former Proteas’ captain also hailed him as a shrewd tactician and is confident that a new leadership role will bring about positive results for the Proteas against England and in the near future.

“We all know the quality of the player that Quinton de Kock has grown to become. Over the years, we have watched him grow in confidence and become one of the top ODI wicket-keeper batsmen in the world.”

“He has a unique outlook and manner in which he goes about his business and is tactically very street smart. We are confident that the new leadership role will bring out the best in him as a cricketer and that he can take the team forward into the future and produce results that South Africans the world over can be very proud of.”

“We wish him the very best in this new role and look forward to watching him make his mark in this series against the World Cup Champions,” Smith said as quoted by AllAfrica.com

Selectors named five new faces in the 15-man ODI squad:

The selectors have named five fresh faces that will take on the current or the reigning World Champions in the three-match ODI series. The likes of Sisanda Magala, Bjorn Fortuin, Lutho Sipamla, Janneman Malan and Kyle Verreynne have earned call-ups based on their solid domestic performances.

Acting selection convenor Linda Zondi conceded that they have named these pool of players in the 15-man squad while looking forward to the 2023 World Cup in India. Zondi is also optimistic that the squad they have chosen would get back South Africa into winning ways against a dominant English side.

“We are really pleased with the squad we have selected, it is a good indication of the depth that we have in the country. The road towards the 2023 Cricket World Cup starts now and we want players doing well in our domestic structures to see the rewards of the hard work that they have put in.”

“The pool that we build going forward is going to be vital in the selection of that 2023 World Cup squad but also without looking too far ahead, we are confident that we have players that will make South Africa proud in this ODI series against a confident England team,” Zondi stated.

South Africa and England will lock horns in the fourth and the final Test in Johannesburg from the 24th of January with England leading it by 2-1. The two sides will square off in a three-match T20I series which precedes the three-match ODI series.

South Africa squad: Quinton de Kock (captain), Reeza Hendricks, Temba Bavuma, Rassie van der Dussen, David Miller, Jon Jon Smuts, Andile Phehlukwayo, Lutho Sipamla, Lungi Ngidi, Tabraiz Shamsi, Sisanda Magala, Bjorn Fortuin, Beuran Hendricks, Janneman Malan, Kyle Verreynne

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