South Africa vs Australia 1st ODI: Current Scores and Updates from Kingsmead, Durban

13:28 IST:

Coach’s word – South Africa head coach Shukri Conrad stresses that there is a massive summer ahead and there can be no better way to set the tone than with a strong performance against opponents like Australia. As for injuries in the team, he admits it has been disruptive, but stresses that he has found a way regardless, calling that resilience a hallmark of this team. He is wary of knee-jerk reactions and refuses to let panic set in, instead saying systems are being put in place to prevent similar setbacks. As for the significance of the nine ODIs ahead of next year’s World Cup, he points to several positions and combinations that the team is still considering, saying that building capacity and depth in those areas will simply happen along the way. With nine ODIs this year and probably a few more before the World Cup yet to be confirmed, he sees future adjustments as minor tweaks, reasoning that if the core of the team isn’t clear now, it may never be. After losing veteran batsmen such as Kagiso Rabada and Lungi Ngidi, and whether the younger bowlers may feel exposed as a result, he identified this as exactly the route the side prefers. He claims that anyone can point out problems, but instead chooses to see the situation as a real opportunity that he believes will stand with the team once he gets past the other side of it.