It's a game for the young 'uns

It is incredible to think that the race is on for another ICC world champion event. The recent World Cup on the subcontinent and the previous World T20 in the West Indies seem to have happened only yesterday.

The next challenge on the agenda in this respect is the World T20 taking place in Sri Lanka this coming September. Most countries, including South Africa, have a lot of international cricket scheduled before this important event. The problem is that this doesn’t necessarily apply to the T20 format.

The race is on for the competing nations in this prestigious tournament to find the right individuals to select for the shortest version of the game, and also the best collective team combinations. As far as selection is concerned, a common theme is emerging amongst the major nations.

There is no doubt that the call as far as selection is concerned is to go almost exclusively for a youth policy. The T20 game is regarded as a young man’s pursuit. Speed, agility and a fearless approach are crucial elements of a winning formula in T20 cricket. Most of the established countries have recognised this fact and are selecting their teams accordingly.

The best example of this policy is the current Australian team. They have gone almost exclusively with youth. In a radical move, they even appointed debutant George Bailey as their T20 captain. This decision is a bit too radical in my opinion.

It is rare to find a player captaining his country in his very first international match, as Bailey did against India in Sydney on Wednesday night. This decision worked in Australia’s first match where Bailey led the Aussies to a comfortable win over the hapless Indian team but the jury will be out for a while on this radical appointment.

India have selected their T20 team along the same youthful lines. They have retained MS Dhoni as skipper but he is the only senior player who qualifies as an icon player in the group. Due to the IPL, the Indians have embraced the T20 format and they also feel that youth is the way forward in this format of the game.

England have done the same and all the other countries will gradually follow this principle, particularly if it proves to be successful.

The Proteas are still retaining a combination of youth and experience in this format. It didn’t work during the previous world T20. I have a feeling that neither the coaching staff nor the selectors are a hundred percent sure what their best T20 combination is at this point.

Unlike some of the other countries, there will be a number of T20 matches over the next few months for the Proteas, including five in a row against Zimbabwe just prior to the England tour. In light of the fast approaching World T20, this is a good idea. It will be very easy to focus on the important test series that lie ahead and get caught unprepared for the World T20.

Every T20 match over the coming months should serve the specific purpose for the coaching staff and the selectors of establishing their best combination for the World T20. The Proteas don’t need to get caught off guard again, as happened last time.