Kagiso Rabada expected to play first Test against England
Duanne Olivier ruled out of England Test series with hip injury
SA vs IND | 2nd Test Preview: Proteas face uphill task to stop Virat Kohli and men's juggernaut
SA vs IND | 1st Test: Proteas clarify Duanne Olivier's exclusion, Marco Jansen's debut opportunity
The non-selection of Duanne Olivier sparked outrage on Twitter and the commentary box on the first day of the first Test against India but South Africa have clarified that the pacer was not considered due to the lingering effects of Covid-19 that he contracted last month and hamstring niggle. When South Africa skipper Dean Elgar announced at the toss that the left-arm pacer Marco Jansen was to make his Test debut, there were speculations and criticism of the Proteas team for not opting for the pacer’s experience. "Duanne Olivier is healthy and well, but did return a positive Covid-19 test result a number of weeks ago, which forced him to quarantine and took time away from his training ahead of the current Betway Test series against India," ESPNcricinfo quoted the convenor of selectors, Victor Mpitsang, as saying. "This [Covid-19] did take place while he was away with the intention to spend time with his family and his workloads were not where the selection panel would have wanted them to be by the time he entered the team bubble ahead of the first Test match," Mpitsang added. "He picked up a hamstring niggle during the two-day, inter-squad match at the start of the camp and the selectors did not want to risk him unnecessarily when there are two more Test matches to think about." The lack of experience showed up as Jansen could not deliver accurate spells of bowling on the first day and allowed Indian batsmen plenty of loose deliveries to score off. He produced some wicket-taking deliveries as well but lack of accuracy between good balls was remarkably evident and the Indian batting order was in full form to capitalize on his misery. However, Mpitsang defended the selection of Jansen in the side and hinted that he was not brought into the playing XI only because of injury concern to Olivier. He said that the left-armer was a “standout performer” with the ball in the A series against India A earlier this month and deserved the opportunity to bowl to the star-studded Indian batting lineup. "Statistically, Marco Jansen was the standout performer with the ball against India A in their recent tour to South Africa and the selectors backed him to take on the senior India team and do well," Mpitsang said. India motored along to 272/3 at the end of the first day’s play and Jansen failed to pick up even one wicket while conceding 61 runs from his 17-over long first day at the Test level.
SA vs IND | 'Grown-up' Duaane Olivier cherishing return, but aware of 'mixed feelings' among Proteas
It was not a smooth way back for Duanne Oliver after Brexit ended his Kolpak career prematurely and abruptly as the South Africa head coach Mark Boucher asked him to do the hard yards in their “system” instead of welcoming him on the basis of his overseas record and international past. The right-armer did exactly what he was urged to do and picked up a bagful of wickets in South Africa’s first-class competition to stake claim a place in the 20-man squad for the series against India that the Proteas are looking forward to as a start of a new era. Oliver’s return could have been delayed if not for an injury to Anrich Nortje, and also a return after leaving the “system” two years back could well be expected to be a bit complex affair for both the Proteas side and himself. The good thing is that the pacer is not expecting a grand and smooth entry either and he is aware of the “mixed feelings” his teammates would have about his move to leave South Africa in the past. "I know people will have mixed feelings about it, but at the end of the day, it's okay. You handle that and you deal with those pressures or the criticism that comes with that,” Oliver said about his return to the Proteas Test side. Oliver burst onto the scene for South Africa for his ability to extract bounce from short of good length area and he started off his international career on a promising note with 48 wickets from 10 Tests at staggeirng set of numbers such as an average of 19.25 and strike rate of 30 balls per wicket. But, the 29-year old believes that stint in the English County Championship for Yorkshire has helped him become “more mature and grown-up”. In terms of bowling, he said that bowling in the UK has helped him add a few more weapons in his armoury as he has become more equipped in bowling the “fuller length” which holds keys to success in the longest format on pitches where there are a lot of assistance for pace bowlers. "Firstly, I am more mature and a bit more grown up. And from a cricketing point of view, I do genuinely believe I am different. The UK helped me a lot in perfecting that fuller length that every bowler wants to bowl. For me, it was quite difficult because it can come across floaty and I wasn't that consistent. I am still working on it and I am not going to get it right every single time but the three years I spend in the UK helped me immensely, just the way I approach my game. I can still go short if I want to, but at the end of the day, the games dictates that. People thought I only bowl short and fair enough, I did that but now I feel like I have a different element to my game,” he added. Oliver is likely to form the trio of pacers for South Africa including Kagiso Rabada and Lungi Ngidi in the three-match series against India and he would want only the ball to talk for him after a lot of hype and build-up related to his return to the international stage.
Kolkpak returnee Duanne Olivier looking to make international comeback against India
India’s tour of South Africa might be uncertain with the way the new variant Omicorn is spreading in southern parts of the African continent, but one thing that is getting more certain with each passing game in the current South African First-Class season is that Kolpak returnee Duanne Olivier will be making his international return in the upcoming series against India. The 29-year-old has claimed 28 wickets in four games playing for the Lions in the Four Day Franchise series, the premier South African First-class tournament. He returned back to his home nation after the end of the Kolpak system earlier this year. He used to play for Yorkshire in English domestic cricket as a Kolpak player, not overseas. Asked if he is now willing to play for South Africa once again, Olivier said, "I am open to everything but I am trying to think of the present and not the future at the moment.” “Victor Mpitsang (convener of selectors) phoned me and asked me if I was open to playing for South Africa again and I said of course I am. It's up to the selectors if they want to include me," he added confirming that he is in the scheme of things of the South African system. The Groblersdal made his international debut for South Africa four years ago against Sri Lanka in Johannesburg. He has so far played 10 Tests and taken 48 wickets in them with 6/36 being his best performance in an innings. The right-arm quick has got three five-wicket hauls to his name already in a short career. With Lungi Ngidi being away from active cricket for quite some time, it seems like Olivier will partner Kagiso Rabada and Anrich Nortje as South Africa’s top three strike bowlers against India. The series is scheduled to begin on De ember 17 with the first Test at the Wanderers in Johannesburg.