‘We have answered a lot of questions’ – Ottis Gibson

“We will be making changes – the intention from the outset was to take a look at other players, we have two games and we have that opportunity,” said Gibson on the eve of the fourth ODI, to be played in Pallekele on Wednesday, 8 August.

“We have not finalised who we are going to look at in the fourth ODI, but I am pretty sure we will make some changes.”

One of those changes is a forced one, with Faf du Plessis, the regular captain, having gone down with a shoulder injury. Quinton de Kock will lead South Africa in du Plessis’ absence in the remaining ODIs, and there’s a chance Heinrich Klaasen, who is recovering from a groin strain, will get in to the XI.

“Fingers crossed that Klaasen will be okay to play tomorrow. He was quite close to playing the last game, but he himself felt that although running on a straight line he was fine, certain movements where he has to turn laterally he was feeling unsteady,” explained Gibson.

“We didn't want to risk him, but we're really hoping that he is good to go this game. After the way he started against India, he is somebody we want to see. He is a very good player of spin.”

Trying out more and more players has been part of South Africa’s policy keeping in mind the ICC Cricket World Cup 2019, and Imran Tahir, the top-ranked South African bowler in the MRF Tyres ICC Player Rankings for bowlers in ODIs and T20Is, was left out for the tour as part of the plan.

“The last 10 ODIs have been about getting ourselves ready for the World Cup,” reiterated Gibson. “In the last match, Faf went from No.3 to No.4, and Reeza Hendricks has come and done very well at No.3.

“We have left Imran Tahir at home in order to look at another spinner and Tabraiz Shamsi has done well. We still have to look at Keshav Maharaj who is our No.1 Test spinner. We have answered lot of questions but there's lot more we could do.”