JP Duminy predicts a call-up for du Plessis or Thami Tsolekile at Adelaide – Cricket News Update
Injured South African all-rounder Jean-Paul Duminy, on Monday hinted at the composition of the South African playing XI for the Adelaide Test against Australia, suggesting that wicketkeeper batsman Thami Tsolekile or uncapped top-order batsman Faf du Plessis will replace him in the squad, come the second Test of the three-match series at the Adelaide Oval.
"This is a chance for Faf or Thami to come in," Duminy said during a media interaction in Brisbane, yesterday. "They are both quality players, they have proven themselves on the domestic scene so they definitely deserve their position … They must take the opportunity with both hands. These sorts of opportunities don't come around often and you have to make the most of them," the left-hander added further.
Duminy, the 28-year-old middle order batsman, was last week ruled out of the three-match series against Australia after rupturing the Achilles Tendon in his left ankle during post-play drills on the opening day of the ongoing First Test in Gabba. He underwent a surgery on his injured heel to reattach the tendon in Brisbane last week. The operation is deemed a success but the Cape Province all-rounder faces a lengthy recovery period, spanning over three to six months.
Cricket South Africa has called up uncapped Knights all-rounder Dean Elgar as Duminy’s replacement for the remainder of the series. Though Elgar has been called up on the back of an impressive domestic season for Knights, he is unlikely to file straight into the starting XI, at Adelaide next week. Instead, there are strong chances of either of Tsolekile or du Plessis making the cut. The selection of the former would give regular wicketkeeper batsman AB de Villiers the opportunity to play as a specialist batsman.
The 28-year-old lower middle order batsman, who also bowls right-arm off-spin, remains upbeat despite the relative severity of his “freakish” injury, and is looking forward to making a strong comeback next year.
"I'm still quite young, I still have a long career ahead of me. I'm quite positive about these types of things," said the all-rounder. "Over the next four to six months it's about me putting in the hard work again and making sure I come back to full strength," Duminy concluded.
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