Cricket South Africa calls for patience with new players after humbling loss against India

The way South Africa have performed in the ongoing Test series against India, one cannot help but say that the Proteas have been absolutely disastrous. Except the first innings of the first Test where they scored more than 400, South Africa have failed to do well in the series with India thoroughly outplaying them.

The hosts thrashed the Proteas by an innings and 137 runs in the second Test to reclaim the Gandhi-Mandela Trophy with a game remaining. South Africa failed with both bat and ball as India nearly toyed with them. Batting first, the formidable hosts piled up a mammoth total of 601 for 5 before declaring. In reply, South Africa were all out for a paltry 275.

India then asked the visitors to follow-on and the latter failed with the bat once again. South Africa’s top-order failed to deliver once again as they were five down for just 79. The lower-order did provide some resistance but they only managed to delay the inevitable for a while. India eventually wrapped up the game in the third session on day four by bowling out Faf du Plessis & Co. for 189.

And as South Africa Cricket continues to head in the wrong direction, their chief executive Thabang Moroe has called on fans to remain patient. With the likes of Morne Morkel, AB de Villiers, Dale Steyn and Hashim Amla retiring in recent months, South Africa are in transition. Moroe insisted that taking on India in their own backyard was a difficult challenge as he also pointed out about the stalwarts retiring in the last one year or so.

“It was always going to be a difficult challenge taking on the top team in the world – certainly under their own conditions – in India at a time when we have introduced a new team structure,” Moroe said in a press statement released on Monday.

“In the past two years we have had to bid farewell to some of the great names of international cricket such as AB de Villiers, Hashim Amla, Morne Morkel and Dale Steyn who between them played nearly 450 Test matches for the Proteas. You don’t replace that kind of experience overnight and we need to give a new generation time to settle,” he added.

Cricket South Africa Chief Moroe hopeful

While urging the fans to be patient with the new-look side, Moroe also said he is hopeful of the players delivering in the coming days. Moroe believes the team will come good soon and with quite a few young players in the domestic circuit ready to step up. The official said he is hopeful of a positive result when South Africa host England later this year.

“These things take time and I am confident that we will already see improvement in our next Test series when England are our visitors during the festive season,” Moroe said.

“I am sure that our supporters will rally behind them on home turf. These are, in fact, exciting times for South African cricket with new names and faces coming to the fore. Our talent pipeline has produced the likes of Aiden Markram, Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi and Zubayr Hamza over the last few years and our development systems are clearly in good shape,” he added.

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