by bigfluffylemon » Wed Jun 21, 2017 11:27 pm
AbDV isn't the player he was. Looks as if he's on the way out. A bit sad that it's happening this way, as he has to be considered one of the all-time greats of the limited overs game (and more than a little handy in tests to boot).
That said, it's only six months ago that the SA test side thrashed Australia in their own back yard, so I wouldn't be getting too cocky about the test series just yet. And they did it without Steyn and ABdV. Tests are a very different beast, but we all know that.
Both sides seem to be struggling with form, fitness, and in South Africa's case, the quota system. They've also lost Kyle Abbott, and Faf might be out for one test, as well as losing Steyn and AB. England have injury issues too - Woakes is out for at least two tests, Broad is an injury concern according to cricinfo, the top order batting has holes to fill (no doubt Hameed and Jennings will get the call, but they've got a lot to prove), and Anderson hardly ever makes it through a whole series these days (he hasn't made it through every game of a 4+ match series since 2014). Both sides will be calling on their fast bowling reserves, to be sure.