What happens if Smith and De Villiers aren't fit for Aussie series?

TELFORD VICE

South Africans could have done without the news that Graeme Smith will miss the rest of the franchise T20 campaign with a swollen ankle.

What with Jacques Kallis having retired and AB de Villiers still on the mend from hand surgery, the last thing SA need is for their captain to be a doubtful starter for the test series against Australia next month.

Of course, it did not take long for a different, darker theory to swirl - that Smith was considering his future in the wake of becoming Irish this week.

“There has been some talk about me receiving Irish citizenship,” Smith told his 546 000 Twitter followers.

“Just to clear things up ... I love my country and remain, always, a loyal South African. Half my family is Irish now, and visiting them is easier with dual nationality.”

That consideration aside, take Smith, De Villiers and Kallis out of the mix against Australia and not only would SA lose 369 test caps, they would also be without three of the major reasons they are the best team in the game.

Nothing can be done about Kallis calling it quits. Ryan McLaren looks like the frontrunner for the allrounder’s berth with Wayne Parnell’s claims on the spot also worthy of consideration.

But the good news is that both De Villiers and Smith should have returned to fitness in time to play in the first test against the Aussies in Centurion on February 12.

However, the selectors, who met this week to pick a squad that is likely to be announced next week, would not have done their jobs properly if they didn’t consider the worst case scenario.

Thami Tsolekile has been the reserve wicketkeeper in SA’s squad since the tour to England in 2012, and would seem the logical choice to step in if De Villiers doesn’t make the grade. Another option would be to take a gamble on Quinton de Kock and hope his batting ability makes up for his still evolving skills behind the stumps.

The plan B if Smith is ruled out promises to be less simple. For a start, who would captain the team - especially if De Villiers also isn’t around? Hashim Amla is, by his own admission, a reluctant leader, and Faf du Plessis, the T20 skipper, has played just 11 tests. Despite that, Du Plessis would probably crack the nod.

Who would open the batting? Amla could be moved up a place, but SA might want to avoid taking that option considering the high quality of the Australian pace attack - better not to expose your No. 3 to the new ball sooner than necessary.

But if Amla is to open and the rest of the order also takes a step up, the choice could be between recalling Dean Elgar and capping De Kock; both as middle order batsmen.

If the selectors choose to think outside of the box by thrusting another batsman into the fray, they have interesting options.

Stiaan van Zyl, Ashwell Prince, Andrew Puttick, Temba Bavuma and Stephen Cook are, in that order, the leading runscorers in the franchise first-class competition. Except for Prince, all of them regularly bat in the top order.