AUS vs SA Highlights, World Cup 2023: Proteas demolish Aussies by 134 runs
Australia vs South Africa Highlights, ICC Cricket World Cup 2023: Quinton de Kock scored a century while Kagiso Rabada picked 3/33 as South Africa bundled Australia out for 177 to beat them 134 runs
Cricket World Cup 2023 | Australia vs South Africa LIVE | Cummins on Stoinis' inclusion in Aussies XI
"He's fit so yeah, we'll announce a team on match day but it's a ground he knows pretty well. I think chatting to him and a couple of other guys, it’s probably in a bit of a different condition to what it is for IPL. The wicket looks really good so yeah, he's someone we'll look at pretty closely."
Cricket World Cup 2023 | Australia vs South Africa LIVE | South Africa team news
South African team, on the other hand, boasts of a trio of centurions, who decimated Sri Lanka during its first game.
The destructive Quinton de Kock, who like Stoinis, plays for LSG in the IPL and understand the surface as well as the Australian does.
Rassie van der Dussen and Aiden Markram, who scored the fastest-ever ton in the World Cup are two gun batters, who can change the course of any game.
After facing much criticism during the IPL, the wicket at the Ekana Cricket Stadium has been re-laid. No one knows how it will pan out. If it aids spins and given Australia's struggle against the slow bowlers, South Africa will be tempted to bring in wrist spinner Tabraiz Shamsi.
They already have a weapon of destruction in Keshav Maharaj, who is a left-arm spinner like Ravindra Jadeja and can ask probing questions.
South African batters themselves have no such troubles while facing spin. The Proteas have a dangerous batting lineup in Van der Dussen, skipper Temba Bavuma, the big-hitting David Miller, De Kock, Henrich Klaasen and Aiden Markram and if they get going, there is no stopping them.
The pace department seems to be the only chink in South Africa's armour as of now. In the absence of Anrich Nortje's express pace, Kagiso Rabada is under immense pressure to deliver alongside Lungi Ngidi and Marco Jansen. The bowers have struggled to stem the flow of runs.
South Africa will also have the psychological edge over Australia having notched a big win in their World Cup opener and also rallied from 0-2 to 3-2 win in last month's ODI series.
But the Australians are known for their grit and determination and could very well bounce back strongly.
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First Published: Oct 11 2023 | 6:13 PM IST