Proteas star Hashim Amla has been dropped from South Africa’s squad for the first three one-day internationals against Sri Lanka.
This means veteran batsman Amla, 35, who has made 27 hundreds in 174 ODIs, will miss most of South Africa’s last series before the Cricket World Cup in England from May to July.
Despite the omission of Amla, as well as a handful of players who featured in the previous ODI series against Pakistan, Cricket South Africa National Selection Panel convener, Linda Zondi, was keen to stress that none of these players should consider themselves dropped.
“Those players who were in the squad against Pakistan but who have been left out this time have not been dropped,” said Zondi.
“We need to use the first part of this series to examine all the options that are available to us.
“We know, for example, what Amla has to offer us and he remains a senior member of our squad.”
The five-match ODI series against Sri Lanka starts at the Wanderers Stadium this Sunday.
Proteas ODI squad (for first three games against Sri Lanka): Faf du Plessis (capt), Quinton de Kock, Reeza Hendricks, Imran Tahir, David Miller, Wiaan Mulder, Lungi Ngidi, Anrich Nortje, Andile Phehlukwayo, Dwaine Pretorius, Kagiso Rabada, Tabraiz Shamsi, Dale Steyn, Rassie van der Dussen.
ODI Fixtures:
March 3:
1st ODI, Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg (Day)
March 6:
2nd ODI, SuperSport Park, Centurion (D/N)
March 10:
3rd ODI, Kingsmead, Durban (Day)
March 13:
4th ODI, St George’s Park, Port Elizabeth (D/N)
March 16:
5th ODI, Newlands, Cape Town (D/N).