Proteas selectors under fire: Was excluding Ryan Rickelton for T20 World Cup a mistake?
The exclusion of Ryan Rickelton from the Proteas T20 World Cup squad is under scrutiny following his impressive SA20 performances, raising questions about a potential last-minute call-up amid Tony de Zorzi’s injury concerns. Picture: Dibyangshu Sarkar/AFP
Image: Dibyangshu Sarkar/AFP
Hindsight is always 20/20, but the Proteas selectors may just question their decision not to include Ryan Rickelton in their T20 World Cup squad.
Since the squad was announced on January 2, the 29-year-old has had a number of good scores in the SA20, and his latest knock of 113 not out for MI Cape Town against the Joburg Super Kings at the Wanderers over the weekend certainly would have gone the Proteas selectors’ attention.
In fact, Rickelton had also scored 113 in his side’s tournament opener against the Durban Super Giants on Boxing Day in Cape Town.
It has to be said though, the squad was probably finalised before the start of the SA20, and therefore the performances of Proteas hopefuls in the tournament would not have counted.
Rickelton’s Potential Last-Minute Call-Up Amid De Zorzi’s Injury Concerns
The left-handed wicketkeeper batsman was coming off two ducks in the ODI series against hosts India in November and December, and that may have counted against him, even though it was a different format.
In his previous T20I series for the Proteas against England in September, Rickelton had scores of 0 and 20 in his two outings.
If you look at his overall T20 record for South Africa, it also makes for less than impressive reading. He has scored 381 runs in 18 matches, at an average of 21 and a strike-rate of 134.
As Quinton de Kock is firmly back for the Proteas as the number one wicketkeeper and opener, it’s difficult to see a spot for Rickelton.
However, Tony de Zorzi has been included despite being injured. Since picking up a hamstring injury, the top-order southpaw has not played a match since the December 3 ODI against India.
This in itself was a risky call for the selectors, and now that Rickelton has clearly found form again, if De Zorzi is unable to regain full fitness in time for the tournament in India and Sri Lanka starting next month, it may just open the door for a last-minute call-up.
Whether Rickelton is first in line remains to be seen.
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