India vs South Africa, T20 World Cup: A proper test of Men in Blue's title credentials

Oct 30, 2022 - 10:30

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India vs South Africa, T20 World Cup: A proper test of Men in Blue's title credentials

Rilee Rossouw, David Miller, Rilee Rossouw — that’s three centuries for South Africa in their last four T20Is. Three of them have been completed games, and pointedly all three hundreds have come in those matches not affected by rain.

Two of those three knocks were played against India. Yes, in their final buildup to this 2022 T20 World Cup, India conceded quite a lot of runs to the Proteas. Herein cynics could argue that India won that T20I series with ease. That would be a cynical viewpoint, and here’s why.

Take a look at the South African squad for this World Cup. Quiton de Kock, David Miller, Aiden Markram, Heinrich Klaasen, Tristan Stubbs, Tabraiz Shamsi, Marco Jansen, Rilee Rossouw, Wayne Parnell, Kagiso Rabada, Anrich Nortje, Lungi Ngidi.

Barring Temba Bavuma, Reeza Hendricks and Keshav Maharaj, they are 12 out of 15 players from its T20 World Cup squad who are currently contracted in the Indian Premier League (IPL). Not to mention, almost all of them also ply their trades across various other T20 franchises. Truth be told, there is a handsome demand for South African talent in franchise cricket.

They may not be bestselling names like the Australians, or protected property like the English players. Hell, they are not even as flashy as the T20 stars from the Caribbean. But the Proteas do a job. They help build franchise squads and plug important holes in any T20 roster.

De Kock covers two spots — keeper and opener — wherever he goes. Gujarat Titans anointed Miller their chief finisher despite his uneven performances in the past. Rabada and Nortje had powered the Delhi Capitals’ bowling attack. So much so that the franchise couldn’t retain both and Punjab picked up Rabada at some cost (Rs 9.25 crore). Who’s to say Nortje wouldn’t have commanded a similar auction price?

Also read: Why Pakistan would want India to win against South Africa

Capitals then got Ngidi to replace Rabada. Shamsi has been RCB’s go-to man and has featured for Rajasthan Royals as well. Markram, Klaasen, Jansen, Rossouw — are international players all, and they do a firm job of squad building. Why, Mumbai Indians took it a step further by investing in the young Stubbs (as also Dewald Brevis, who misses this World Cup by just a whisker).

Look across other franchises, or across teams from other leagues, and you can do a similar recounting for the other franchises — the squad-building depth would come to the fore again. By some reckoning, the Proteas are a new fuelling station for the global T20 demand, perhaps replacing the West Indies juggernaut.