South African team selection a 'good nightmare' - Ottis Gibson

Ottis Gibson says Faf du Plessis has been outstanding as a captain and a leader.

AB De Villiers, and Dale Steyn  | Getty Images

South African head coach - Ottis Gibson, who have enjoyed the start of his journey as Proteas coach with a clean-sweep against Bangladesh in October, is not worried about team selection, as their star batsman AB de Villiers and leading pacemen - Dale Steyn, Vernon Philander, Morne Morkel and Kagiso Rabada - are all completely recovered from injuries and raring to play for their country.

The return of South African premier players, selection could make a little bit of a nightmare, but Gibson doesn't feel troubled, saying it’s It's going to be an interesting selection.

According to a report in ESPN Cricinfo, Ottis Gibson said, “Some nightmares you want to wake up quickly from but this one is a good nightmare because you are bringing back such good quality players. It's going to be interesting selection but if we get right and you look at the strength of the team we can put on the park, that's a pleasing thing. It's good to have all those guys back. Getting the right blend is going to be a challenge but it's one we're all looking forward to.”

With their start players’ return, the main dilemma of the Proteas side will be deciding if they are going to pick de Villiers in the team by lengthening the line-up to seven batsmen, or by leaving Temba Bavuma out and picking three of the four seamers in their bowling attack.

On being asked about Dale Steyn, Gibson said, “When you've had such a long layoff and a significant injury, you just have to wait and see how you pull up. Hopefully, he pulls up well from that game, and we'll see how he goes going into this summer.”

Gibson is also eager to work with him, adding, “He has been a champion bowler for a long time, probably along with James Anderson, probably the best of the modern generation in terms of wickets taken, games played and the way he has led the South African attack for a number of years.”

The coach also hopes that his team also will do well in the four-day format of the game, as the South African side is scheduled to host Zimbabwe in the inaugural four-day Day/Night Test on 26 December.

Gibson concluded by saying, “Hopefully we will try and continue that in this game and then leading into the India series. India are the No.1 team in the world at the moment and we know we need to be at our best if we are going to compete with them and beat them, which is our ultimate goal. We just want to continue the progression that we started in the Bangladesh series.”

 
 

By Rashmi Nanda - 23 Dec, 2017

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