Monday, 5 May 2014 00:00
-
- {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
Andrew Hudson, South Africa’s convener of selectors, said that Jacques Kallis will be a part of the squad for the ODIs against Sri Lanka in July. In an interview to an Indian newspaper, Hudson said the series could be an opportunity for Kallis to stake a claim for the 2015 World Cup squad, a goal the allrounder had expressed when he retired from Test cricket last year.
Kallis did not play an ODI between February 2012 and November 2013, but returned to the format in the home series against Pakistan and then India. He also committed to playing more games in the format to stay in the team’s plans for the World Cup.
“Look, from a selector’s perspective, Kallis isn’t a certainty. We’d love to first see him perform and, then, come to the party. We’ve got around 25 ODIs between now and the World Cup, so there will be opportunities,” Hudson told the Telegraph. “Kallis will be there [Sri Lanka]. After Sri Lanka, we’ll be travelling to Zimbabwe.”
Hudson also added: “Kallis is no ordinary cricketer and, whatever the format, he brings balance to the team. A batting all-rounder is rather unusual in today’s game. He’s in our scheme of things, but he’ll have to prove that he’s still good enough and that he actually wants to play at the international level.”
South Africa’s tour of Sri Lanka comprises three ODIs and two Tests, apart from a practice game, and will also be the first assignment for the side’s new Test captain, after Graeme Smith’s retirement in March this year. Smith, who was appointed captain the age of 22, led in a record 109 of his 117 Tests and he chose to call time after the Newlands Test against Australia.
Hudson said the decision on the Test captaincy would likely be taken by Cricket South Africa after their board meeting on June 3, and the plan would be to appoint someone for a longer term.
“We haven’t decided. The selectors will take inputs from the coach [Russell Domingo] before making a recommendation to the board,” he said. “[The final decision] Will be that of the board. We’d like to have a captain for the next three-five years. We aren’t looking at the next series only.”
South Africa were recently displaced by Australia as the No. 1 Test side in the ICC rankings and will be aiming to reclaim that spot during the Sri Lanka tour. After Sri Lanka, South Africa will travel to Zimbabwe for one Test and three ODIs followed by a tri-series against the hosts and Australia. They are then scheduled to host West Indies between December 2014 and January 2015.
