Herschelle Gibbs during his playing career for the Proteas FILE. Herschelle Gibbs, who had predicted a 3-1 win in favour of the Proteas before the series began, said Rob Walter’s time as South Africa limited overs coach must surely be running out. Picture: Independent Media
Image: Independent Media
Rob Walter could be close to receiving his marching orders as Proteas limited overs coach, believes former South Africa batsman Herschelle Gibbs.
South Africa crashed to a 3-1 T20 International (T20I) series defeat on home soil at the Wanderers on Friday, as they lost the final clash by a mammoth 135-runs.
On three occasions the Proteas conceded over 200 runs, with the last match in Johannesburg witnessing India plunder 283/1 in their 20 overs.
Gibbs, who had predicted a 3-1 win in favour of the Proteas before the series began, said Walter’s time must surely be running out.
“Walter’s departure must be close. In other countries, the axe would have already fallen,” Gibbs told Rapport newspaper.
“Our skills haven’t improved under him. Our bowling is one-dimensional. If plan A doesn’t work, you have to have a plan B. We don’t have that plan. Australia use the yorker early rather than a late option. But we refuse to do that.
Lending credence to Gibbs’s theory is that the fact that South Africa drew a T20I series against Ireland in the UAE, lost an ODI series against Afghanistan in September and before that they were whitewashed by hosts West Indies in their ODI series in August.
Gibbs, who played 248 ODIS and 90 Tests for South Africa and scored over 14000 runs across the two formats, also believed openers Reeza Hendricks and Aiden Markram could be dropped in the search for some new young talent.
“It has to be asked whether there is a need for fresh, younger faces in the top order,” Gibbs added. “Reeza Hendricks’ hitting game is very limited in the power play. And Aiden Markram has been struggling for some time.”
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