The Proteas three-match ODI series against Australia offers an opportunity for the team to hold auditions for places in the national team setup.
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The callups of uncapped Cobras batsmen Janneman Malan and Kyle Verreynne are encouraging as both have the potential to play for the Proteas for a long time.
Malan has already earned a T20I debut but hasn’t been afforded a Proteas appearance in over a year. At 23-years-old Malan has time on his side and the resting of Faf du Plessis and Rassie van der Dussen should see him make his ODI debut against Australia.
Verreynne is another young buck yearning for an opportunity to represent his country. At the Cobras Verreynne has won over coach Ashwell Prince who went to bat for the wicketkeeper-batsman as a surprise inclusion in the 2019 World Cup squad. He has shown enough in domestic cricket to suggest he could contribute to the Proteas white-ball cause.
Malan and Verreynne have both been called into the ODI squad in the past only to go unused. Still, it would be an opportunity missed if both players weren’t given a chance in the short series against Australia.
Jon-Jon Smuts has been given a lifeline, and he could be the man that keep Malan out of the team, but he needs to perform with many believing he is ‘on the bubble’ at the moment. Smuts has been consistently good at franchise level for the Warriors but is yet to impress in green and gold. His ODI experience has been limited, but after 11 T20Is he averages 15.09.
If Temba Bavuma is fit, the Proteas are unlikely to offer Malan an opening berth alongside Quinton de Kock. Malan is an excellent candidate for the number three slot while Verreynne might be picked as a finisher of floating middle-order batsman.
Verreynne is unlikely to take the gloves unless skipper De Kock is rested for any of the three ODIs.
Among the bowlers, this series would provide an ideal platform to test the development of the skills of Lutho Sipamla. Sipamla is another who has been around the squad but played few internationals.
There is little at stake for the Proteas in this ODI series, and as such it would be a great time to test the depth of the country’s talent.
