Big shoes for Tsolekile to fill

The selection of sports teams at any level is a difficult and very often contentious issue that tends to divide those involved in the actual process and also some that follow the said team. A phrase that comes to mind is, “you can never make everybody happy” and I think that is spot on.

Just recently, Thami Tsolekile was named as the next man to be South Africa test match wicketkeeper – or effectively so, as he was awarded a national contract. In giving him a contract, the selectors have made their intentions very clear and the convenor of selectors, Andrew Hudson has also said that he and his selection team feel that Tsolekile can do the job in the long version of the game.

Ongoing has been the talk of who should be the one to replace Mark Boucher as well as when it should be done. The fact that Boucher came out and said when he would most likely go has meant the dilly dallying on the subject has had to end. So, in comes Tsolekile.

It surprises me greatly that he has not been included in the touring party to New Zealand as this time could be used to ready and school Tsolekile in the ways of the Gary Kirsten camp so that by the time he is introduced into the playing eleven, he has been around the group a lot and is not looking to find his feet on and off the park. The bedding-in and getting-on with your teammates phase, so to speak, could be done in this period and I hope that opportunity is not missed.

Morne van Wyk, Heino Kuhn, Daryn Smit and Dane Vilas were his immediate competition for the spot and the first thing that was established was that none was screaming out at the selectors and a cut above the competition.

Secondly, the shoes they are to fill are rather big and so the expectation in terms of the quality of the individual is sky high. However, it is necessary to say that without moving on to the next man, nobody would ever know how that player would have done. All that players want is a chance, and Tsolekile has got that ahead of his counterparts. He must be sure make full use of it.

I am sure that some would say I missed out Quinton de Kock. Well, he is in his first season as a professional and to have gone to him so young without having a look at all at what he can do, would have really been stab in the dark and hoping for the best. It also would have been a slight on the wicketkeepers who are in the system and have been around for some time.

Should it turn out that Tsolekile does well, the selectors will be quite happy, but if he doesn’t then there will not be any lingering before trying somebody else. At 31 years of age, his time will be limited at the top level as he is in fact approaching the end.

Personally, I think that he is not a bad pick as he is experienced and has been around for a while. He actually has been in the test match team before so has had a taste. He is certainly a very good gloveman and will do good work behind the stumps. That is an essential box to tick for test match teams, as compromising on the quality of your glove man can cost you matches.

There is also the issue of transformation which, whilst some may try to run away from it, is very much in the domain of South African sport. He ticks that box too and that should be seen as a positive. It does not mean that he gets a free ride in the team; he still must deliver to keep his spot and in fact is under more pressure because of it.

I think he will run into the same problem that South Africa faces at the moment: the issue of runs at No 7 in test matches. There is nothing to suggest to me that Tsolekile will provide runs with the lower order. His performances at franchise level are decent but the going is much tougher at test match level. The hope is that he can step up.

The whole situation should have shown all involved that that succession needs to be planned; people need to be earmarked for each important position.

Whilst the expectation is to have another worldbeater behind the stumps, those do not turn up every day. To fill the shoes of a world record holder who held onto his spot for fifteen years is no mean feat. If the next man does half as well as that, the Proteas will be fine.