Aiden Markram in action for the Proteas. Aiden Markram in action for the Proteas. File Picture: Frikkie Kapp, BackpagePix
Cape Town — "It's a no-brainer!”
That was Rob Walter’s unequivocal answer as to why he returned home to coach the Proteas after seven years in New Zealand.
The new Proteas white-ball coach’s response was equally forthright with regards to his appointment of Aiden Markram as the T20 captain.
“Aiden has shown himself to be a leader over a period of time now. His most recent success with the Sunrisers (Eastern Cape) stands out,” Walter said in his first media engagement on Monday.
“It’s just a logical progression of leading the national team. He has been there before, but he has matured both as a leader and a player since then. Aiden has been a leader in the group for a long time.”
But what about Temba Bavuma, who has been dropped from the T20 squad altogether for the upcoming series against the West Indies?
“It was purely a T20 performance-based decision,” Walter said.
“My job now is to work with him to get him back into the side. That’ll certainly be one of our focuses.”
Walter is certainly not mucking about. That’s simply because he doesn’t have time to.
The former Titans coach inherits a one-day international team that is on the brink of having to qualify for the World Cup later this year and a T20 side that has failed to reach the knockout stages at the past two tournaments.
There were, though, encouraging signs that the ODI team were beginning to turn the corner after a recent 2-1 home series win against England.
Test coach Shukri Conrad oversaw that victory over the world champions, which earned valuable World Cup Super League points, while Walter was still serving his notice period in New Zealand. There was a major shift in energy with Bavuma leading from the front in a new and exciting approach.
There will be no Super League points on offer in three ODIs against the West Indies however, but they will be up for grabs when the Netherlands arrive at the back-end of the summer.
Fast bowlers Anrich Nortjé and Kagiso Rabada have, therefore, been rested for the ODIs against the West Indies, with Centurion Test debutants Gerald Coetzee and Tony de Zorzi – as well as Tristan Stubbs – earning their maiden ODI call-ups.
There was, however, no place for the past – Faf du Plessis – and the future – Dewald Brevis – in either of the ODI or T20 squads. Walter believes Brevis, still only 19, has much to learn before taking the step up to the next level.
“He (Brevis) forms part of a category of young, exciting cricketers who are in the system. The job and the journey with him will be exactly the same as it is for the others in trying to find opportunities that are below the Proteas level to give him access to,” Walter said.
“The SA20 would have given him some insight as to the areas that he needs to develop in his game, along with many others. There’s an x-factor that is exciting and now we just need to give him the foundations and the pathway to grow.”
The in-form Lions trio Ryan Rickelton (ODI), Bjorn Fortuin (ODI and T20) and Sisanda Magala (ODI and T20) have also been recalled to the respective national squads.
Proteas T20I squad: Aiden Markram (capt), Quinton de Kock , Bjorn Fortuin, Reeza Hendricks, Marco Jansen, Heinrich Klaasen, Sisanda Magala, David Miller, Lungi Ngidi, Anrich Nortje, Wayne Parnell, Kagiso Rabada, Rilee Rossouw, Tabraiz Shamsi, Tristan Stubbs.
Proteas ODI Squad: Temba Bavuma (capt), Gerald Coetzee, Quinton de Kock, Tony de Zorzi, Bjorn Fortuin, Reeza Hendricks, Sisanda Magala, Keshav Maharaj, Wiaan Mulder, Lungi Ngidi, Ryan Rickelton, Andile Phehlukwayo, Tristan Stubbs, Lizaad Williams, Rassie van der Dussen.
*For third ODI only: Aiden Markram, David Miller, Marco Jansen, Wayne Parnell.
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