Breetzke steps into top order
Batsman set to open against India in the absence of Quinton de Kock - and India, like SA, are also seeking answers
With all the attention about the Proteas T20 team centred around Faf du Plessis, Rilee Rossouw and “hybrid contracts”, Matthew Breetzke has become a forgotten man for the series with India starting in Durban this afternoon.
However, given that these three matches are the only ones that the Proteas will play together before next year’s T20 World Cup, they provide Breetzke, 25, with an ideal opportunity to force himself into a conversation about the top-order batting for that tournament.
Breetzke will play the entire series, according to Proteas limited-overs coach Rob Walter, opening the batting alongside Reeza Hendricks. That is quite a fillip for a player who got just one opportunity at the end of the Proteas’ last T20 series against Australia in September, and was understandably wracked with anxiety — scoring just five off seven balls.
“It definitely frees me up to be the best player I can be,” Breetzke said of the peace of mind afforded by Walter.
Markram acknowledged that it was tricky for players in Breetzke’s position to have any degree of comfort as they attempt to grow into the international game. The non-stop nature of the cricket calendar — that is mixed with the ever-growing T20 Leagues segment — puts players under pressure to make an impression immediately.
“There are stages in your career when you are starting out that you get an opportunity like this and you understand why you are getting those opportunities,” said Markram.
“We had Matty (Breetzke) around in the Australia series, and he made a really good impression on the coach, and a lot of the players, we loved having him in the environment. It was fantastic to be able to select him for this series and it’s worked out that he will get a few opportunities.”
Meanwhile, others are waiting in the wings, most notably the former captain Du Plessis, Rossouw and of course Quinton de Kock, who was allowed to miss this series in order to sign a contract in the Big Bash League in Australia.
All three are central characters in closed-door talks about a new contracting system that could come into effect next year. Those plans are being formulated by Cricket South Africa in conjunction with the SA Cricketers’ Association — with the new contracting structure set to give players more room to take up offers in leagues around the world.
“From next year, there will be the odd series where you don’t have all your players because of leagues,” said Markram.
“As captain, you have to try and look past that. Guys need to earn a living and maximise where they can. If we can find a good balance between the two as a country, that can only help us moving forward.”
Walter has kept the channels of communication open with Du Plessis and Rossouw — both participated in the Abu Dhabi T10 tournament this week — and will be playing in the SA20. That competition has been given greater prominence, with Walter and Markram explaining that performances there would be important for World Cup selection.
Du Plessis said earlier this week that the World Cup wasn’t a priority at this stage, as he is recovering from elbow surgery in September. The SA20 falls into a period when he wants to find rhythm with his batting, and it is in the Indian Premier League (IPL) that he hopes to make his case for World Cup selection even stronger.
Well before then, however, Breetzke and a host of other lesser-known players — including Ottniel Baartman and Nandre Burger — will get the opportunity to stake a claim against an Indian side that is also seeking answers about personnel ahead of the World Cup.
However, whereas this series is South Africa’s first since September, India are coming off a series win against Australia, and also have a wealth of IPL experience in their ranks. The Proteas, already shorn of so much international knowhow, were dealt another blow on Friday when Lungi Ngidi was forced to withdraw because of an ankle ailment.
“You can be fixated on the now and just the T20 World Cup,” said Markram. “But if you look at the next few years, and how the team might possibly change, if guys decide to move on, it is a great opportunity for new players to get a foot in the door.”