Fast bowler Junior Dala and bowling coach Charl Langeveldt will not be travelling with the squad as they were initially scheduled.
This is due to the strict Covid regulations put in place by the Sri Lankan government that no tourist will be permitted to enter Sri Lanka borders if they returned positive Covid tests within 21 days.
As unfortunate as it is for Dala, Sipamla makes a comeback in the green and gold of the Proteas. Having missed out on the two successive Proteas ODI series, the 23-year-old will be looking to prove to the selectors that he’s the ‘GO-TO’ man for the job.
The youngster has appeared in fifteen international matches across all formats for his country, there is no doubt that he will be hungry for game time to showcase his skills once again.
Injuries in cricket have led to a number of great players making their debuts and returns to their teams. One example that comes to mind is that of Faf du Plessis who replaced an injured JP Duminy down under in 2012.
As we all know, Du Plessis went on to be one of the best captains we’ve ever had in South African cricket.
Marnus Labuschagne is another example that Sipamla would be looking to replicate. Having been the first concussion replacement ever in the history of cricket, Labuschagne replaced Steven Smith in the 2019 Ashes Test series in England and is now in the top five Test batters in the world.
No one needs to explain to Sipamla how big this opportunity is for his career, he knows that opportunities don’t come too often in South African cricket.
The youngster will be looking to stake his claim and keep that position in the team going forward.
