Dhaka – AB De Villiers will be back in the saddle next Friday when the Proteas host New Zealand in a Twenty20 International at Kingsmead, but coach Russell Domingo believes it was a “great exercise” being without the One-Day International skipper for the majority of the tour here to Bangladesh.
De Villiers played only the two T20I’s against the Tigers before flying back home to be at the birth of his first child. His absence was severely felt, especially in the ODI series which the Proteas lost to Bangladesh for the first time ever, and was also a notable absence in the middle-order during the Test series.
“It has been a great exercise. The little bit of gametime that we have had without him has allowed those players some limited experience of playing in these conditions. AB is a big player, we know that. It does leave a big void in terms of the quality and experience that he does possess, but the team has got to move on because we know he is not going to be around forever,” Domingo said at the conclusion of the washed out final Test in Mirpur yesterday.
Since the advent of former coach Gary Kirsten’s tenure, the Proteas have strongly adopted a policy of allowing senior players to rest during parts of an international tour. Although Domingo has tightened it up in recent times since he was promoted to head coach two years ago, he can still see the value of creating space for recuperation.
Proteas pace spearhead Dale Steyn missed the limited-overs leg of the Bangladesh series too, and has since returned reinvigorated, and saying that “I got my love back for the game” and that “I just want to bowl”. This is certainly encouraging with a long international season ahead, with big Test series coming up against India away and England at home.
Steyn certainly looked to be returning to top form during the Mirpur Test where he claimed his 400th Test wicket – only the second South African bowler to achieve this distinction with former Proteas captain Shaun Pollock leading the way with 419 Test scalps.
Domingo is hoping to meet up with a similarly refreshed De Villiers when the team gathers in Durban next week ahead of the series against the Black Caps.
“I think that’s the importance of giving guys like AB, Dale, Hashim (Amla) some time off because when they get back they are fully motivated and put in the performances. It is difficult to replicate the energy that is required every time, so it is important to give guys time off to freshen up both mentally and physically,” Domingo added.
The squads for the two T20Is and three ODIs are set to be announced today with the biggest conjecture being who will be behind the stumps for the Proteas. Both Test debutant Dane Vilas and Quinton de Kock have been sent to India to get gametime with the South Africa A team on their tour there, which leaves the returning De Villiers as the most likely option to keep wicket against the Black Caps.
However, De Villiers categorically stated during the World Cup that he does not want to play as wicket-keeper any longer because the load was too much in addition to having to captain the ODI team and being the senior batsman.
This leaves a possible opening for Dolphins veteran gloveman Morne van Wyk, who was here in Bangladesh on a commentary stint. Van Wyk though left before the conclusion of the final Test and could come into the reckoning especially for the opening T20 on his homeground, as he had blasted a 70-ball undefeated 114 at the same venue earlier this year against the West Indies.