Boucher - what is the next move

So the Protea test  team has arrived in Pakistan and the test series are scheduled to start on 26 January 2021.   While he two tests will be in progress the T20I squad will arrive in Pakistan,   

After the tests are completed the test squad will return with Boucher to prepare for the three Australian tests and his Deputy will stay on  to deal with the 3 T20I games,   According to Boucher the emphasis is on the tests against Australia and of the test squad "only one or two" test squad  players will stay on for the 3 T20I games and the team will be made up of mainly youngsters.

So who will the two that will stay on be?   It depends entirely on the selection of the T20I  squad, but the one or two players could perhaps be De Kock and Sipamla.   The former has extensive experience of sub-continent pitches, bit if the emphasis is on the Aussie tests two weeks later - then Du Kock may come back with the main team.   My guesd is the other player to stay on will be Verreinne.   

One would assume that the T20I squad will be announced this coming week.   Apparently the squad will virtually entirely be made up of newbies and in view of the planning their may even be a new captain assigned to lead the team in the T20I games, since De Kock may be needed in the preparations for the Aussie test series.   That appointment may be the start of the search for a new permanent captain  for the test side. 

If the T20I batsmen do well in Pakistan some of the test batsmen may be in danger of replacement especially if the test batsmen fail in the test series in Pakistan. 

Assuming that Sipamla and  Verreinne will stay on since it it unlikely that they would be used in the tests anyway - the team to play the T2O'I's  may be as follows:-

1     Roelofsen

2     Snyman

3     Gous

4     Van Tonder  - captain

5     Verreinne

6     Hamza   

7     De Swardt

8     M  Pretorius

9     ??????????

10    ??????????

11    Sipamla

The  team is likely to have 6 batsmen, 2 all-rounders and 3 specialist bowlers 

I am not sure of the bowlers and assume that there will be one spinner and one fast bowler.  - since Snyman  is a good spin bowler anyway,  The two all-roubnders could possibly be be  De  Swardt and M  Pretoriuss.

The bowlers where I put  question marks are likely to be two Black players/    Suggestions would be welcomed.  Will Ansdile make the squad - maybe but he is no certainty as his bowling has turned south,   

NB  -  of the above players   5  has already been in the Protea squad and Sipamla, Hamza  and Verreinne has already played for the  Proteas.   The other players did exceptionally well in the Momentum Cup games - hence my forecast as to selections.   Interesting enough Hamza played for the Proteas in India as well and in one game was the highest run scorer for the Proteas - while Snyman played in two ODI games against Englamd  which he was the highest run scorer.  The SA Invitation side won both games  and the same England team in the succeeding  T20I games beat the Proteas badly.            .                               

The T20I squad will have to be announced by Friday next week - since all players will have t be tested twice for Covid 19 and  the squad will probably leave for Pakistan on 29 January 2021.    .     

Unfortunaetely the Momentum Cup games thus far - where players like Ackjerman could have made their claims was  so badly effected  by weather conditions that thus far 50%  of the matches were cancelled.   The only outstanding players thus far were Roelofsen, De Swardt and Gous - while with his spin bowling Snyman also did well.   

I watched again the matches in which  Andile played and hee would have to be selected purely as a batsman - his bowling became to poor to be used on international level and he would; have to be selected purely as a batsman.   He definitely has a weight problem and that effected his bowling badly,  He is not the player hew as two years ago,  Frankly I would b surprised if they do select him .             

His bowling has been deteriorated since 2019  and that is why he was out of  contention for  selection for the Protea squads.  Sad to say bit it actually happened,/   He can pe rhaps blame his increasing weight foe that situation/ 

When did you see him bowl?    he has been out of international cricket since the WC and  local cricket is not on TV.    I tried to watch all games  and  I am afraid his performances has regressed.       

Dave

 I hav e not seen Andile play since the 2019 CWV.  and what I saw last week seens to ne that the "bite" has gone out of huis bowling.   As a Black player he is first ibn line for selection,    selection - bit he ahs not made any team in the past year.   He is an all-rounder and f one of the two requirements are nor met - I think it is his bowling - then he will not make the team.     

The squad will probably be announced this week  - so lets see what happens.    

Jut an observation - if a bloke like De Swardt took 5 wickets in 2 matches and Andile  took none while he gave away 44 runs in 6 overs in 1 match there is reasin to think simething is anuss in his bowling,      

Dup

Dave

Not stupid  - just logical .  There were some series played  by the Proteas sine the CWC and Andile was not selected top play in them.   I really wandered why he was left out of the ODI and T20I squads  where as a Black he was near to a certain selection,    That made me look especially at him in the Momentum Cup and from bowling perspective he did not make the grade in both of the two matches he played in, 

We will have to wait and see what happened over the next  three weeks.            

How do you account for the fact that Andile has not been selecte top play imn the shorter versions of the game since the CWC?   

No Dave

Not the same -  as the cases you mentioned,   Andile is a Black and as such he receives priority  when it comes to selection.   Something must have gone wrong to upset that selection priority treatment.

I know they messed up badly with the White players - and from what read in a recent articcle Smith and Boucher had a hand in that as well.

But the discussion is about Andile and  he was dropped from the squads  before the named two gt involved in the Proteas set-up.   The question remains  why?

Boucher nearly had a fit when it was suggested that Van Tonder and Verreinne be goven a chance to play in the second test against SriLanka,   However, I think he realized that some  changes aare necessary - but wanted to let youngsters play in the T20I's against Pakistan first,

That may backfire because the T20I's are likely to be cancelled because of logistical  problems.           .