The Proteas squad decided to strengthen its lineup by calling up left-arm spinner Nkaba Peter for the upcoming tour of Namibia. South Africa is currently experiencing a revolution in spin bowling, as Proteas history has never seen such high-quality options in both red and white ball formats.
Spinners are no longer viewed with suspicion as players who might sometimes hold the ball tightly, pitching it into the left foot, but rather as match-changing players capable of taking wickets.
However, there is a shortage because they are all orthodox left-arm variations, with the exception of right-arm finger spinners Simon Harmer and Prenelan Subreena.
Despite all the positive qualities, little is known about players like Keshav Maharaj, Senuran Mutusami, George Linde, and the new white-ball captain of Proteas, Bjorn Fortuin.
In the modern era, especially in T20 cricket, there should be a certain mystery when the ball leaves the bowler's hand. If this is not the case, the minimum requirement is a high-quality turning spinner.
For ten years, Proteas utilized the talents of Imran Tahir, followed by Tabriz Shamsi. But since then, no one has managed to make the ball hiss and fly off the surface, which prompted the recall of problematic left-arm spinner Lions Nkaba Peter for the upcoming Namibia tour.
The 24-year-old player has already played four ODI matches and 12 T20 matches, but after several disciplinary issues, he was absent from the team for a long time; however, it seems he is back on track and ready to get a second chance internationally.
Proteas coach Shukri Conrad told the media on Tuesday: 'I believe that spin bowlers are a rare breed, and they require some time.' He added: 'He was with us during the Australia tour, playing in a T20 match. Definitely, he is someone we will continue to watch in the future.'
Conrad noted: 'We, so to speak, do not have a turning spinner, and we see the value of turning spin, especially in T20 and ODI cricket. Therefore, I think this is a great opportunity for Nkaba to return to form.'
Conrad admitted that the competition for spots in next year's World Cup on home soil will be very intense, and he intends to keep all options open. He stated: 'I think we obviously need to consider all the options available to us. There are still many things to decide.'
He continued: 'Our recent form has shown that we have quality spinners. It is unpleasant to talk about the oldest veteran, but someone like Keshav obviously still leads in this regard. I think he has several players trying to catch up to him.'
