4 Things We Learned from South Africa’s Stunning Test Series Victory over Australia
by Devesh Jaganath | by Devesh Jaganath
Proteas Prove World Test Championship Title “Was No Fluke”
South Africa Test captain Temba Bavuma revealed that he believes there is no limit to what his team can achieve after their stunning 176-run victory over Australia at Newlands on Saturday clinched them a 2-1 series triumph and confirmed our cricket predictions.
Bavuma has now joined Faf du Plessis as the only Proteas captains to lead their teams to a series win over the Baggy Greens on home soil since the nation’s readmission, while the victory also took South Africa back to the summit of the ICC Test rankings. Here are four things we learned from the series.
1. Bavuma’s Leadership Influence Cannot Be Overlooked
Bavuma’s leadership has received praise, but it deserves greater recognition: No captain in Test cricket history with at least 10 matches in charge boasts a higher win percentage than the Proteas skipper.
His only loss as Test captain came in the opening match of the series against Australia. He now has 13 wins, one draw, and one loss to his record, putting his winning record ahead of legendary leaders like Donald Bradman, Steve Waugh, and Ricky Ponting.
2. The Proteas Depth is Extremely Impressive
Depth in Test cricket is a major factor, and South Africa are excelling in this regard. At present, the Proteas have five players inside the top 20 in the ICC Test Rankings, with Marco Jansen leading the way in first, Wiaan Mulder in fourth, and Simon Harmer eighth.
South Africa’s depth is further underlined when considering that Senrun Muthusamy, who has contributed scores of 109 and 89, along with match figures of 11 for 174 in Lahore, cannot get a guaranteed place in the squad, while Keshav Maharaj only played one match against Australia before being replaced by Anrich Nortje.
3. Incredible Balance Across the Team Sheet
While squad depth is great, it is only effective if a team strikes the right balance, and the Proteas' selectors seem to be getting it spot on. The balance brought by the Proteas all-rounders is key to that, but so too is the overall balance in age and levels of experience.
The likes of Bavuma, Aiden Markram and Rabada bring bags of Test experience to the table, which is a major benefit for fresh faces like Marques Ackerman and Gerald Coetzee, while the core of the team features players in their prime, such as Jansen and Wiaan Mulder.
4. High Expectations for Rickelton and Ackerman
Kyle Verreynne has done very little wrong in a Proteas jersey, but Ryan Rickelton looks like the long-term successor to Quinton de Kock. Aside from his glovework, the 30-year-old averages 37.00 in the longest format with the bat, significantly higher than Verreynne’s 22.09 Test average.
Ackerman may be a late bloomer, but he has been mightily impressive since making his debut. The opener looked extremely comfortable against the Aussies’ pacemen and ended the series with the second-highest batting average of any player (54.33), only behind Matt Renshaw.
South Africa Announce Squad to Face Bangladesh in Two-Test Series
South Africa only have a few days to celebrate their incredible triumph over Australia, as their next assignment comes in just two weeks when they will host Bangladesh in a Two-Test Series at the Wanderers Stadium and SuperSport Park.
Cricket South Africa have wasted no time in confirming the 15-player squad to face the Tigers. Tony de Zorsi is set to make his return to the red-ball squad after recovering from a hamstring injury, while DP World Lions batter Zubayr Hamza has earned a recall.
Dane Peterson has also made the cut, and he will join Rabada, Jansen, Mulder, and Corbin Bosch in the team’s pace attack. Experienced campaigner Lungi Ngidi is the most notable omission, as he continues his rehabilitation from a right hamstring injury.
