While the Proteas may have disappointed again in the 2023 Cricket World Cup, they will be looking forward to getting back on the winning track in the upcoming 2023/2024 summer. The Proteas are set to host India and tour New Zealand for 2 test matches and will need to be both mentally and technically proficient to overcome these two tough opponents. Check out below our preview of the Proteas’ summer and where they currently stand in all 3 formats of the game.
India tour of South Africa – December 10 to January 7
After both India and South Africa experienced disappointment and heartbreak at the 2023 cricket World Cup, they will both be eager to get back on track in India’s tour of South Africa. The tour will include 3 T20Is, 3 ODIs and 2 Test matches. Can the Proteas provide a winning start to the summer?
T20Is
- Dec 10, 18:00: South Africa vs India, 1st T20I, Kingsmead, Durban
- Dec 12, 18:00 South Africa vs India, 2nd T20ISt George's Park, Gqeberha
- Dec 14, 18:00: South Africa vs India, 3rd T20I New Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg
South Africa is currently ranked 6th in the T20I rankings, while India is ranked number 1. On the face of it, therefore, the Proteas will face an uphill battle in their three T20I matches that will kick off India’s tour. The Proteas' form in this format has not been great of late, having been thumped 3-0 by Australia in late August and early September, and having been dumped out of the 2022 T20 Men’s World Cup in a shock loss to the Netherlands.
However, you can never count South Africa out of a contest on home soil, and the team has a wide array of big-hitting batsmen such as David Miller, Reeza Hendricks, Quinton de Kock and Aiden Markram as well as world-class bowlers in the form of Kagiso Rabada, Keshav Maharaj and Gerad Coetzee.
Due to the nature of the T20 game, this series could go either way, but should serve up some great entertainment regardless.
ODIs
- Dec 17, 10:00: South Africa vs India, 1st ODI, New Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg
- Dec 19, 1:00: South Africa vs India, 2nd ODI St George's Park, Gqeberha
- Dec 21, 1:00: South Africa vs India, 3rd ODI Boland Park, Paarl
The Proteas are still licking their wounds after yet another World Cup semifinal exit, once again at the hands of eventual champions Australia. Despite this disappointment, the Proteas are in a good space in the One Day arena, having enjoyed their best World Cup ever in terms of wins recorded and having been dominant in most of those wins.
The team’s success has been built largely around their powerhouse top 6, although they will be weakened heading into the India series due to De Kock’s retirement from ODI cricket. The series also presents an opportunity for the Proteas to get a measure of revenge for their big defeat by India in the 2023 World Cup pool stage.
India was dominant in the CWC, but will still be smarting after their surprise defeat to Australia in the final. Some key players such Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli have been rested for the limited-overs games, but India should still be a formidable opponent for the Proteas.
Test series (2 matches)
- Dec 26 - Dec 30, 10:00: South Africa vs India, 1st Test, SuperSport Park, Centurion
- Jan 3 to Jan 7, 10:30 South Africa vs India, 2nd Test, Newlands, Cape Town
South Africa’s greatest Achilles heel heading into the 2-test series against India may be its lack of tests played, as it last played a test all the way back in March. The Proteas test team is therefore relatively underdone and inexperienced, especially with regards to the batsmen. The team will rely heavily on the likes of captain Temba Bavuma, Dean Elgar and Aiden Markram, as well as bowling stalwarts Kagiso Rabada and Keshav Maharaj.
India has also been highly successful in test cricket of late, having also lost the IC
World Test Championship Final to Australia in June. India lost their previous test series in South Africa 2-1 (in 2021/22) and will be hoping to finally beat the Proteas in a test series on South African soil. Stalwarts such as Sharma, Kohli, Jadeja and Ashwin will be crucial in this regard.
India T20I Squad:
Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Tilak Varma, Suryakumar Yadav (C), Rinku Singh, Shreyas Iyer, Ishan Kishan (wk), Jitesh Sharma (wk), Ravindra Jadeja (VC), Washington Sundar, Ravi Bishnoi, Kuldeep Yadav, Arshdeep Singh, Mohd. Siraj, Mukesh Kumar, Deepak Chahar.
India ODI Squad
Ruturaj Gaikwad, Sai Sudharsan, Tilak Varma, Rajat Patidar, Rinku Singh, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (C)(wk), Sanju Samson (wk), Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, Mukesh Kumar, Avesh Khan, Arshdeep Singh, Deepak Chahar.
India Test Squad
Rohit Sharma (C), Shubman Gill, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Ishan Kishan (wk), KL Rahul (wk), Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, Mohd. Siraj, Mukesh Kumar, Mohd. Shami*, Jasprit Bumrah (VC), Prasidh Krishna.
South Africa tour of New Zealand, February 4 to February 17
- February 4 – February 8, 00:00: New Zealand v South Africa, 1st Test, Bay Oval, Mount Maunganui, Tauranga
- February 13 – February 17, 00:00: New Zealand v South Africa, 2nd Test, Seddon Park,
The Proteas may send a weakened team to New Zealand for the 2-test series, as the series clashes with the lucrative SA 20 competition. If this is the case, it will mean that the Proteas face an even tougher battle against a New Zealand team that is always competitive and hard to beat at home. While the last test series between the two teams in 2022 (in New Zealand) was drawn 1-1, South Africa has traditionally held the upper hand in test series, as the “Black Caps” have never beaten the Proteas in a test series, home or away.
New Zealand will rely on their captain and talisman batsman Kane Williamson, as well as batsmen Tom Laham and Daryll Mitchell and experienced bowlers Trent Boult, Tim Southee and Kyle Jamieson. The Proteas' chances will be heavily affected by the strength of the team that is sent over, but they will take encouragement due to the fact that they recovered to win the 2nd test in 2022 after being thrashed by an innings in the first test.
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