Du Plessis upbeat about team ahead of World Cup

CAPE TOWN: The Proteas’ World Cup planning has started in earnest. Only 17 One-Day Internationals remain before Faf du Plessis’ team get the 12th quadrennial cricket carnival under way against hosts England, and Du Plessis wants no stone unturned during the build-up period.

After a “few lessons were learnt” during the Test series in Sri Lanka, the Proteas bounced back to win three consecutive ODI’s to close out the series with two matches still remaining. Although Du Plessis was forced to return home with his right arm in a sling due to a shoulder injury that will keep him on the sidelines for six to eight weeks, the skipper is really “excited” about what is brewing within the SA camp.

“There has been a lot of emphasis on the way we play and how we want to play. The vision myself and Gibbo (coach Ottis Gibson) have is all about how we are going to win the World Cup. I think you can see the guys are playing an exciting brand of cricket. There are a few young faces playing fearless cricket. To beat Sri Lanka in Sri Lanka three times in a row is no mean feat,” Du Plessis said upon arrival at Cape Town International yesterday.

SA’s inexperienced middleto-lower order may have fallen short in a rain-curtailed runchase in the fourth ODI, but there was certainly plenty on show in the previous three matches to build on.

Senior players Hashim Amla and JP Duminy have shown an encouraging return to form, and the emergence of Reeza Hendricks as a potential No3 is a major positive especially after AB de Villiers’ retirement. Equally, Lungi Ngidi has shown the potential to fill Morné Morkel’s large boots with impressive new-ball displays, while chinaman bowler Tabraiz Shamsi has arguably done enough to be Imran Tahir’s back-up next year.

“There are still a few things that need to happen over the next six months to a year. I see that as a great opportunity, especially for the younger guys. The experienced players don’t need more experience. It is about getting the younger guys more experience, even if that means one or two series where we rest the more senior players,” said Du Plessis.

“I’m excited about our opening bowling combination: KG (Kagiso Rabada) and Lungi (Ngidi). They strike and they take wickets. There are some nice young batters coming through, putting pressure on the more experienced guys. When AB retired, it forced us to change a few things which is why I moved to No 4. We’re just playing around to see what is our best combination.”

Du Plessis has not closed the door on old hands such as Vernon Philander and Dale Steyn returning for the World Cup either, saying “anyone can still put their name in the hat”, but it is clear that the Proteas management are providing opportunities for the next generation. The promotion of wicket-keeper Quinton de Kock to stand-in captain in Du Plessis’s absence is a case in point.

“We felt that when Graeme (Smith) left there were no real opportunities for young leaders in the team to get one or two occasions where they could captain without being the fulltime captain,” Du Plessis explained.

“You can use that opportunity to learn. There are two or three young guys in the team who have leadership capabilities. With guys like Quinton it’s more about developing them. He’ll grow just by getting extra responsibility, although it doesn’t necessarily mean he’ll be the future captain.”

The Proteas close off their Sri Lankan tour with the fifth and final ODI today in Colombo before a one-off T20I on Tuesday.