CSA announce ODI squad for series against Bangladesh; names 8 IPL-contracted players

Cricket South Africa (CSA) have named a full-fledged squad for the ODI series against Bangladesh. While picking a strong squad, the national selectors have also picked 8 players who are members of 2022 edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) franchises, due to commence from 26 March.

The three-match ODI series between South Africa and Bangladesh will stretch from 18 March to 23. The series will end three days prior to the start of the IPL and keeping in consideration the quarantine guidelines, some Proteas players might miss out on the initial matches of the cash-rich league.

The list of players includes Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi, Marco Jansen, Rassie van der Dussen, David Miller, Quinton de Kock, Aiden Markram, and Dwaine Pretorius.

Anrich Nortje is out of the side due to a hip injury while Sisanda Magala failed to make it to the squad as he was not able to clear the fitness test.

They will need to complete three-day mandatory isolation to be able to enter the IPL bubble. However, these rules are eased once a player comes from another bubble. The South Africa-Bangladesh ODI series will be played in a ‘managed environment’ where restrictions are less and players are allowed to go outside.

After the conclusion of the ODI series, a two-match Test series will also be played starting from 31 March to 12 April. However, CSA has given the players the option of whether they want to stay back or fly to India to join their respective IPL franchises. 

CSA's selection convenor Victor Mapistang said, "The players in the one-day squad who are not playing in the Tests will likely leave for IPL after the ODI series. "We will have more clarity on the six players who are part of the Test group in the next couple of days."

Of all the above-mentioned Proteas players, Nortje is the only one who has played very little cricket post the T20 World Cup in November 2021 and it is hard to see him getting fully recovered for IPL 2022.

Mapistang cited, "It's probably going to be difficult [for Nortje to make it to the IPL 2022]. He has not really been bowling much since November. The medical team will give advice on whether he will be cleared for the IPL.”

"He is not ready for the Bangladesh series. We don't know about the IPL. He keeps fit, he works extremely hard."

Ngidi is also returning from injury, having missed both the Tests in New Zealand with a back strain. "We expect Lungi to be fit," Manjra concluded.

South Africa squad: Temba Bavuma (c), Keshav Maharaj (vc), Quinton de Kock (wk), Aiden Markram, Marco Jansen, Kyle Verrennye, Zubayr Hamza, David Miller, Lungi Ngidi, Tabraiz Shamsi, Andile Phehlukwayo, Dwaine Pretorius, Kagiso Rabada, Wayne Parnell, Rassie van der Dussen, Janneman Malan.