South Africa’s cricketers are yearning for more bilateral series matches to enhance their competitiveness and momentum as a national team, according to middle-order batter Heinrich Klaasen. Klaasen expressed his frustration with the limited number of matches South Africa plays, stating that it hinders their development and ability to challenge top teams.
“We don’t play five-match series anymore,” Klaasen said. “It’s disappointing, and it doesn’t sit well with the players. We want to play more cricket against these guys and other countries, but we always find a way to just play two or three games.”
Klaasen’s concerns extend beyond the T20 format. He believes that South Africa’s Test team is also suffering from a lack of match practice, with the recent two-Test series against Australia being a prime example. “It’s ridiculous in my eyes,” he said. “We want to play more cricket against these guys.”
Klaasen’s comments highlight the challenges facing South African cricket. The team has not won a bilateral series in two years and has struggled to maintain consistency in all formats. The lack of match practice has contributed to this decline, as players have limited opportunities to develop their skills and build momentum.
In contrast, teams like India have been able to maintain a high level of performance due to their extensive match schedule. India has played three five-match T20I series since August last year and has a busy Test schedule in the coming months. This allows their players to gain valuable experience and maintain their form.
Klaasen believes that South Africa could benefit from a similar approach. He suggests that the team could split its squads to compete in multiple formats simultaneously, as England and India have done. However, this would require a significant increase in the number of matches played, which may not be feasible given the current financial constraints.
Despite the challenges, Klaasen remains optimistic about South Africa’s future. He believes that the team has the potential to be competitive if they are given the opportunity to play more matches. “We want to play more cricket against these guys, and against the other countries as well,” he said. “We just need to find a way to make it happen.”
