While Sri Lanka are without Danushka Gunathilaka, Kusal Mendis and Niroshan Dickwella who are banned from international cricket for a year due to a covid bubble breach in the UK earlier in the year. Angelo Matthews is also missing due to refusing to sign a new central contract with SL Cricket.

South Africa head into this series in Sri Lanka both in the ODIs and T20s with some confidence. After playing England, Australia, Pakistan, and Ireland in ODIs this year where they only lost away to Pakistan, a place the team hadn’t visited for 14 years. In the T20s this year SA have played Pakistan home and away and had tours to West Indies and Ireland, losing only to Pakistan.

Bavuma To Establish A Strong Sense Of Belonging

They did just beat current World Champions West Indies and Ireland, so positives are there. At the same time, Sri Lanka have many problems on and off the field. Of their last 10 ODIs and 10 T20’s they have won only two of the former and three of the latter. So, while historically the head-to-head between these two sides in Sri Lanka heavily favours them, I would say South Africa’s recent form and a Sri Lankan side without Danushka Gunathilaka, Kusal Mendis, Niroshan Dickwella and Angelo Matthews means South Africa must be favourites. Let’s have a closer look at who to look out for…

We take a look at the players to watch for the first test.

Proteas ODI Squad

South Africa: South Africa ODI squad: Temba Bavuma (capt), George Linde, Janneman Malan, Keshav Maharaj, Anrich Nortje, Dwaine Pretorius, Kagiso Rabada, Andile Phehlukwayo, Aiden Markram, Wiaan Mulder, Tabraiz Shamsi, Lizaad Williams, Lutho Sipamla, Rassie van der Dussen, Kyle Verreynne, Beuran Hendricks, Reeza Hendricks, Heinrich Klaasen.

Proteas T20 Squad

Temba Bavuma (capt), Keshav Maharaj, David Miller, Quinton de Kock, Reeza Hendricks, Wiaan Mulder, Lungi Ngidi, Heinrich Klaasen, Rassie van der Dussen, Bjorn Fortuin, Beuran Hendricks, Sisanda Magala, Aiden Markram, Dwaine Pretorius, Kagiso Rabada, Tabraiz Shamsi, George Linde, Anrich Nortje, Lizaad Williams
NB: Charl Langeveldt and Junior Dala will miss out on the tour due to Sri Lanka’s strict covid regulations. Mandla Mashimbyi replaces Charl Langeveldt and Lutho Sipamla replaces Junior Dala.

*Charl Langeveldt and Junior Dala will miss out on the tour due to Sri Lanka’s strict covid regulations. Mandla Mashimbyi replaces Charl Langeveldt and Lutho Sipamla replaces Junior Dala.

Players To Watch ODI

Janneman Malan

Janneman Malan has taken to this format like a duck to water and while it is still a relatively small sample of seven matches, he still averages 120.75 with a strike rate touching 100. In March last year, he was the top scorer on either side in an ODI v Australia with a 129* against an attack that included Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc and in April made 70 against Mohammed Nawaz and Usman Qadir of Pakistan and it was clear to see hard work had gone into facing spin bowling, previously a weakness of his. Twelve months ago, I would have been worried about him in Sri Lankan conditions, not so much now.

Andile Phehlukwayo

Andile has not been performing well enough with the bat for a while now, nobody can doubt that and he will know he has to produce more in that department to keep his place in the side. That said, his failings have been coming more in the T20s and not so much in the ODIs. His performances with the ball versus Ireland showed he can still bowl but again it’s his runs that he needs more than ever and in Sri Lankan conditions that will be more challenging than in Ireland.

Keshav Maharaj

Keshav is world-class in the Test format, but he should be licking his lips in this white ball series with conditions that won’t be that dissimilar to the ones he has in Durban. At 31 he is now the prime age for a spin bowler and he knows his game better than ever before. He, like Andile probably won’t be in the T20 World Cup squad so he can focus entirely on the 2023 World Cup. He is easily the best spin bowler in South Africa for red-ball cricket and domestically last season he was world-class for the Dolphins in white-ball cricket. He will hope the Colombo pitch provides turn so he can produce the goods for Proteas.

Players To Watch T20

Quinton De Kock

Quinton De Kock is being rested from the ODI series so he should be fresh to go when this series starts. He is also a man in form having made two fifties in The Hundred this month. Interestingly, in seven matches against Sri Lanka he averages only 15.25 with the highest score of 25. That might concern the Proteas as he is the one player that makes the team tick. He and the team will certainly hope he can turn those stats around because he is the Proteas’ best batsman in this format.

Dwaine Pretorius

Dwaine Pretorius missed out on the series versus Ireland and the West Indies due to health reasons and although the team managed to win without him, I think everyone knows the team is stronger with him. The team missed that genuine all-rounder in the side and his ability with the bat. That strike rate of 165 is needed just as much as his bowling. The Proteas do need a proper 6th bowler option when the World Cup begins and Dwaine is the man to do it rather than Aiden Markram.

Sisanda Magala

Unfortunately for Sisanda he got injured while on tour in the West Indies and was unable to get the game time he so badly needed. A lot of people who are on the coal face of domestic cricket in South Africa know that Sisanda is the best death bowler in the country. It is now time for him to prove that is the case on the international stage as well. He does have a magnificent slower ball and his ability to hit that yorker length, especially at the death, is invaluable. Not forgetting his ability to clear the boundary as a batter from time to time.

Stat Attack

Quinton De Kock on 5355 is 88 ODI runs behind Australia’s Mike Hussey.

Rassie Van Der Dussen on 969 is 31 ODI runs short of 1000 ODI runs.

Tabraiz Shamsi has 24 T20 wickets, which is six more wickets than 2nd place for the year 2021 so far

Tabraiz Shamsi is also five short of 50 T20 wickets, which will put him ahead of Morne Morkel and only behind Imran Tahir and Dale Steyn for wickets for South Africa.

Form Guide

SA last 10 ODIs won 5 lost 4 and 1 no result

SA last 10 T20s won 6 lost 4
Sri Lanka

SL last 10 ODIs won 2 lost 7 and 1 no result

SL last 10 T20s won 3 lost 7