A MESSIAH RETURNS
RELIEF: DE VILLIERS BACK AS PROTEAS BID TO SAVE SERIES
South Africa have never lost wearing pink.
It was an enormous relief for the Proteas yesterday when the return of AB de Villiers to the ODI squad was announced, even though the champion batsman will still have to undergo a fitness assessment today to confirm his availability for the fourth ODI against India at the Wanderers tomorrow.
De Villiers was ruled out of the first three matches in the 50-over series after damaging his finger in the third and final Test at the Wanderers.
It is an enormously important game for the Proteas, and not just because it is Pink Day, the mega-fundraising effort in aid of cancer research that seems to inspire them as they have not lost a game in pink. An atmosphere of gloom has descended over South African cricket after three comprehensive defeats against India and at the moment the home side have no answer to their ruthless, quality opponents.
So they are relying on the magic of AB, the miracle man, to change their fortunes.
“To have AB back will obviously be a massive boost because he’s one of the world’s best batsmen, and his leadership will add a lot of value as well,” JP Duminy said with an ache in his voice after the defeat at Newlands in midweek gave India an unassailable 3-0 lead.
The addition of De Villiers is the only change to the squad and he will surely slot straight back into the No 4 position, primed to cancel out the twin threat of wrist-spinners Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal. It has been an almost impossible task for the other Proteas batsmen thus far, and Duminy did elucidate some of their difficulties after scoring 51 in Cape Town.
“It’s pretty obvious we haven’t played the spinners well enough. They’ve assessed the conditions very well, probably better than us, in terms of what length and pace they’ve bowled at.
“They’ve been a touch slower than our spinners, which has made it difficult to get ones and they haven’t been full enough for us to get to the ball and hit it straight down the ground.
“And a few of us have also struggled to pick their googlies, which means you’re always tentative at the crease. Once you start to pick them, then you can play with confidence and freedom.
“We’ve got a plan against them, but they’ve been good enough to not bowl the ball in those areas,” Duminy said.