Did South Africa do the right thing by resting key players for the ODIs against Pakistan?

[BreadPakoda]

QdK and Steyn rested when the team is transitioning after ABD and Morkel's retirement and reeling from Duminy and Markram's injury. Even Tahir is not playing this match, dunno why.

All in all, they are missing:

1) Dale Steyn
2) QdK
3) Imran Tahir
4) JPD
5) Aiden Markram

Do you look at it as a long term move to build a team for the World Cup they can reap benefits from or a big mistake risking a series against a good Pakistan team?

 

[Buffet]

Less of a case of resting players. It's about trying out new players before the WC. All teams are doing it.

 

[Rahul1]

QdK and Steyn rested when the team is transitioning after ABD and Morkel's retirement and reeling from Duminy and Markram's injury. Even Tahir is not playing this match, dunno why.

All in all, they are missing:

1) Dale Steyn
2) QdK
3) Imran Tahir
4) JPD
5) Aiden Markram

Do you look at it as a long term move to build a team for the World Cup they can reap benefits from or a big mistake risking a series against a good Pakistan team?

So basically Pakistan are beating up a South Africa D team.

 

[Hasan123]

It's good to try out new players. Don't think Markham should have been rested as he needs games to improve his ODI game.

 

[Ab Fan]

Yes, they need to give maximum chances to youngsters to have a perfect balance and play the best possible XI.

 

[troodon]

Steyn is not a loss. He does not play ODI's much anyways.
Tahir or Shamsi are good. Not really missing Tahir.

QDK and Markram is a big loss. Both are match winners. Surely they will be in the WC Squad.

 

[Gotham Cronie]

QdK and Steyn rested when the team is transitioning after ABD and Morkel's retirement and reeling from Duminy and Markram's injury. Even Tahir is not playing this match, dunno why.

All in all, they are missing:

1) Dale Steyn
2) QdK
3) Imran Tahir
4) JPD
5) Aiden Markram

Do you look at it as a long term move to build a team for the World Cup they can reap benefits from or a big mistake risking a series against a good Pakistan team?

It's a 5 match series.

They were rested for the first two.

They still have 3 ODIs vs Pakistan.

A 3 Match T20I series vs Pakistan.

2 Tests vs Sri Lanka.

5 ODIs vs Sri Lanka.

3 T20Is vs Sri Lanka.

 

[Mp812]

Trying bench strength for world cup.... not resting...Series before world cup used for experiments normally

 

[Slog]

So basically Pakistan are beating up a South Africa D team.

Lol grapes are sour because people pointed out fact about Aussie C team

 

[CricFan2012]

It sucks as a fan because if we end up winning the series it doesn't show an accurate representation of how good our team is.

 

[Shandarchowka]

Lol@OP. Only Quinton is missing. Others are not really first choice, maybe Tahir is, but Pakistan play spin well. Not really a miss. This is the best South Africa can offer, minus Quinton.

 

[Shandarchowka]

Lol grapes are sour because people pointed out fact about Aussie C team

Leave the poor souls alone. It must be really hard seeing Pakistan boss South Africa in their own conditions.

 

[Hasan123]

Lol@OP. Only Quinton is missing. Others are not really first choice, maybe Tahir is, but Pakistan play spin well. Not really a miss. This is the best South Africa can offer, minus Quinton.

Dumminy is also out. He is a certainty to start at the WC.

 

[BreadPakoda]

So basically Pakistan are beating up a South Africa D team.

That's not the point of the thread. JAMODIs are meaningless and I maintain my consistency on this. I've got flak when I said India Vs Australia ODI result doesn't matter and may get flak here too.

Its a question of whether you stick to your "best squad" without much changing ala India or go to the very other end of the spectrum like SA or Australia?

I would like to see something in the centre. You pick 2 new young players and give them a 20 match run before the world cup. This is practically a new SA side with no stable core.

 

[Rahul1]

Lol grapes are sour because people pointed out fact about Aussie C team

South Africa playing their D team in this match is also a fact.

 

[Thomaskutty]

If Pakistan's premier lineup can't beat this D team of SA, that doesn't augur well for their white ball side's chances in this WC.

 

[Chokli]

If Pakistan's premier lineup can't beat this D team of SA, that doesn't augur well for their white ball side's chances in this WC.

world cup is a different ball game

 

[BDfanforever]

JAMODIs are meaningless and I maintain my consistency on this.

Are you saying World Cup and other ODI tournaments are also meaningless? Why dont they just scrape ODIs altogether then and keep test cricket only. Saves everyone the trouble.

I think dead rubber test/ Odi matches should be scraped. Those are the most meaningless games we can think of off the bet.

 

[BreadPakoda]

If Pakistan's premier lineup can't beat this D team of SA, that doesn't augur well for their white ball side's chances in this WC.

You can't predict when it comes to Pakistan. They barely qualified for the CT.

 

[BreadPakoda]

Are you saying World Cup and other ODI tournaments are also meaningless? Why dont they just scrape ODIs altogether then and keep test cricket only. Saves everyone the trouble.

I think dead rubber test/ Odi matches should be scraped. Those are the most meaningless games we can think of off the bet.

No.

 

[BDfanforever]

No.

For me nothing can beat tournaments ODI games. That is how I started watching Cricket i.e BD vs Ind 2007 WC.

However, I admit test cricket is the real cricket.

 

[BreadPakoda]

For me nothing can beat tournaments ODI games. That is how I started watching Cricket i.e BD vs Ind 2007 WC.

However, I admit test cricket is the real cricket.

The games before the WC are more about getting your combination right. That's why I said these are not very important.

 

[rhony]

Markram was dropped and not rested. He failed in AUS. Showed glimpses of his talent with scinitillating shots. Not sure if he's being considered for WC. Duminy will be back in the side for WC. Steyn was rested because the first two games are on slower wickets. DeKock will replace Klasen.

 

[MMHS]

I knew they'll rest/test lots of players, I knew PAK will play their possible best XI, I knew there are games at Port Elizabeth & Durban .... and I knew the ODI series is in later half of the summer when wickets take lots of spin ........ still it was 4-1, and I'll stick to that. So, why actually SAF should play their best XI? Crashing Sarfraz's PAK with bonus point only can give them some false security.

I actually like this. In past, I explained only reason for SAF not winning anything in ICC event since 1998 with that team is that often they over do preparation. Almost like machine, they are ruthless & clinical into the build-up of WC, then first time things start to go out of play book, they simply collapse. This is much better - they are playing hard fought, tight games which only can toughen the side. In another thread, I named their 16 for WC and I am sure apart from 1/2 players, their WC squad will be same and the core of the team is fixed - so, it's not a case that they need to test too many players like WIN or SRL (in fact, SAF, BD, IND & ENG are probably the most stable team for WC with 13-14 players picking themselves); rather this is great.

For quota or credit, Phelu will be in ENG, most likely Shamshi as well - today was a great baptism for them, and Dussen. If Kock, Styen, Morris, Tahir, Ngidi & JP were there, none of these 3 would have been playing - but we won't have seen the wonderful rearguard by this 6th pair. It's good, it's damn good call - I am sure we'll see lot more such against SRL as well and in T20 definitely.

 

[rhony]

I knew they'll rest/test lots of players, I knew PAK will play their possible best XI, I knew there are games at Port Elizabeth & Durban .... and I knew the ODI series is in later half of the summer when wickets take lots of spin ........ still it was 4-1, and I'll stick to that. So, why actually SAF should play their best XI? Crashing Sarfraz's PAK with bonus point only can give them some false security.

I actually like this. In past, I explained only reason for SAF not winning anything in ICC event since 1998 with that team is that often they over do preparation. Almost like machine, they are ruthless & clinical into the build-up of WC, then first time things start to go out of play book, they simply collapse. This is much better - they are playing hard fought, tight games which only can toughen the side. In another thread, I named their 16 for WC and I am sure apart from 1/2 players, their WC squad will be same and the core of the team is fixed - so, it's not a case that they need to test too many players like WIN or SRL (in fact, SAF, BD, IND & ENG are probably the most stable team for WC with 13-14 players picking themselves); rather this is great.

For quota or credit, Phelu will be in ENG, most likely Shamshi as well - today was a great baptism for them, and Dussen. If Kock, Styen, Morris, Tahir, Ngidi & JP were there, none of these 3 would have been playing - but we won't have seen the wonderful rearguard by this 6th pair. It's good, it's damn good call - I am sure we'll see lot more such against SRL as well and in T20 definitely.

Your analysis would have been correct if SA is still that Top team of the old times. They are a mid table team and rightly so. I don't think whoever was left out will make muh of a difference. Even DeKock isn't the same old batsman.

 

[Mahee]

Really disappointed to see Pakistan losing to a South African D team

 

[MMHS]

Your analysis would have been correct if SA is still that Top team of the old times. They are a mid table team and rightly so. I don't think whoever was left out will make muh of a difference. Even DeKock isn't the same old batsman.

You are looking at it individually - think about the force collectively with all these players in XI. Cricket is a team game where players compliment each other and the combination works. SAF beat AUS, in AUS with hosts playing their available best squad, while SAF was under strength. They are a much better team with proper balance - today, they just showed how much depth they have. Last summer, more than IND, they lost to Kohli, and that can happen sometimes - Lara alone made a Test Series 2-2 against that AUS, so don't judge them based on that only.

 

[Pete Rose]

They came pretty close to regretting today.

 

[BDfanforever]

You are looking at it individually - think about the force collectively with all these players in XI. Cricket is a team game where players compliment each other and the combination works. SAF beat AUS, in AUS with hosts playing their available best squad, while SAF was under strength. They are a much better team with proper balance - today, they just showed how much depth they have. Last summer, more than IND, they lost to Kohli, and that can happen sometimes - Lara alone made a Test Series 2-2 against that AUS, so don't judge them based on that only.

I predict RSA will be beaten by every single top teams in WC. Additionally, they might even lose to one of Pak/BD/Afg. Last time when RSA were much more favorites Luke Ronchi of all people smashed them out of the tournament.

In the past RSA used to rely on their own home grown talents but now you see players with immigrant parents like Amla, Tahir, Shamsi, etc.

 

[MMHS]

I predict RSA will be beaten by every single top teams in WC. Additionally, they might even lose to one of Pak/BD/Afg. Last time when RSA were much more favorites Luke Ronchi of all people smashed them out of the tournament.

In the past RSA used to rely on their own home grown talents but now you see players with immigrant parents like Amla, Tahir, Shamsi, etc.

This WC is open - IND & ENG are more or less assured for a SF spot at least, but other 7 teams (AFGs just don't have enough experience for 9 game WC), has a shot at SF spot - even WIN, SRL & BD can surprise couple of so called top team. SAF, actually are 3rd in that order, just after ENG & IND and per with NZ, AUS to make the cut.

 

[Prince of Pakistan]

Against this Pakistan side you do not need your top guns.

Besides tops teams aren't afraid to lose a few with their B or C side against Pak, SL or Bangla.