By Zaahier Adams
In a world of growing uncertainties, one thing remains constant: South African cricket's ability to create controversy.
Prior to the inaugural ICC Twenty20 world championship in 2007 Jacques Kallis was omitted from the host country's squad. He responded by quitting the national vice-captaincy.
Mark Boucher, Kallis's compadre, publicly backed his decision to resign and was hauled in front of a Cricket South Africa disciplinary hearing.
Matters escalated when then convenor of selectors Joubert Strydom claimed Kallis was being "rested" for the more strenuous Tests and One-Day Internationals ahead.
Cynics believed it had more to do with then president Norman Arendse's push to drive transformation, therefore the inclusion of Cape Cobras all-rounder Vernon Philander at the expense of Kallis. Whichever the reason, the latter played no part in the T20 world championship.
Fast forward two years and the South African selectors have included Kallis, who, by his own admission, has done extensive work on his limited-overs and T20 game over the past 24 months, and avoided any controversy in that respect.
However, it seems the Proteas brainstrust have left the door ajar for two possible other controversies.
The inclusion of Johan Botha is a risk. The Warriors off-spinner's action is still under scrutiny and he has only recently returned from Perth, where he underwent further testing. Should Botha not be cleared, South Africa will have to find a replacement.
Perhaps this is a gamble worth taking as the vice-captain is a major part of the Proteas' T20 strategy but it will nonetheless disrupt the team's preparations should he be ruled out of the tournament.
The other aspect of the T20 squad which I find more disturbing is the distinct lack of black ethnic African representation.
The fact that there are only six players of colour, one fewer than the regular seven in a squad of 15, has also not gone unnoticed.
I'm not jumping on the quota bandwagon here as Cricket South Africa has made great strides in terms of transformation this past season under new selection convenor Mike Proctor.
While the final Test of the summer against Australia at Newlands was effectively a "dead rubber", the Proteas fielded a historic five players of colour in debutant Imraan Khan, Ashwell Prince, Hashim Amla, JP Duminy and Makhaya Ntini. This was an amazing feat.
Unfortunately it does not, however, allow me to overlook the absence of black Africans in the Proteas squad to tour England.
Maybe it has something to do with me having spent the past four days in the Eastern Cape, where I witnessed the great passion black Africans have for the great game, or that three black African players were included in the squad for the T20 World championship on home soil two years ago.
T20 specialist Loots Bosman eventually had to withdraw due to injury but it still left Makhaya Ntini and Thandi Tshabalala.
My criticism is not directed at Proteas coach Mickey Arthur or Proctor and his selection panel.
I understand the "cricketing reasons" for the absence of the black Africans. Tshabalala and Ntini are out of form.
Ntini's failure to command a regular place in his IPL franchise team, the Chennai Super Kings, has also possibly contributed to his non-selection.
However, the same principle applies to Morne Morkel, who has not played for the Rajasthan Royals.
So if the selectors' hands were to be forced it could possibly have been there, although it could be argued that Morkel does offer more in terms of longevity and his perceived ability with the bat.
Lonwabo Tsotsobe, who was being groomed for great things, has broken down with injury and Bosman and Monde Zondeki played no part in this season's domestic Pro20 series because of injury.
But these are all familiar names - and that is what riles me. Where are the young black batsmen knocking on the Proteas door?
Little Themba Bavuma has also played franchise cricket for the Lions but my fear is that they too will fall by the wayside as did Freeman Simelelas, Morgan Mfobos and Albert Nkomos.
Domestic administrators have a moral duty to ensure the development of black African cricketers if they want to avoid a situation such as this. Opportunities need to be made available at franchise and amateur level if this is not be repeated.
I hope CSA president Dr Mtutuzeli Nyoka has already placed it on the agenda for Wednesday's executive meeting in Johannesburg as a matter of urgency!
MY CRICKETER OF THE WEEK
Yusuf Pathan. Matthew Hayden may have more runs and Yusuf Abdulla taken more wickets, but, to borrow a boxing parlance, there is no more valuable "pound-for-pound" player in the IPL than Pathan. Before Rajasthan's match on Tuesday a simple fact to consider was this: matches won - three, Man of the Man awards - Pathan three. Enough said!