James Richardson breaks down why the Proteas should prioritise playing two frontline spinners in the Test against Bangladesh at Hollywoodbets Kingsmead.
Considering the number of left-handers in the Bangladesh squad, Keshav Maharaj has to be one of the first names on the team sheet.
With the available pace arsenal, the Proteas will have to work hard to build pressure. They might be prepared to sacrifice a batter to accommodate a spinner if they are unwilling to deploy only Duanne Olivier and Lutho Sipamla or another pairing.
Simon Harmer is in the squad again but awaits his first Test since his return after sudden end of the Kolpak era in County Cricket.
Harmer’s experience makes him an attractive option for skipper Dean Elgar, and he could lay claim to being good enough with the willow to be a Test number seven.
It is more likely that seam-bowling allrounder Wiaan Mulder will be asked to bat seven and that Khaya Zondo will slot into the middle order for a Test debut.
If the Proteas’ brains trust goes this route, understandable considering the team’s natting hasn’t exactly set the world on fire in recent Tests.
Even with five batters, wicketkeeper Kyle Verreynne and all-rounder Mulder, Harmer could be accommodated.
Mulder would need to shoulder his fair share of the bowling burden alongside the likes of Duanne Olivier and another quick, likely to be Lutho Sipamla or Glenton Stuurman.
Sipamla is arguably the more imposing of the two, but Stuurman picked up a five-for when he visited Durban with the Warriors late last year.
The groundsman will be under pressure to produce something slightly different to what has been seen in the 4-day series, but it doesn’t seem likely that the Test pitch will be like the Kingsmead of years gone by.
Instead, wickets are likely to be hard to come by, and on the evidence of what Rishabh Pant did to Maharaj earlier this season, the Proteas would be well served having Harmer in the mix.
The team’s long-term goals would not be served by leaving Mulder himself out, which makes the two-seam option the most viable pathway to getting two spinners into the Test XI.
