South African cricket captain Faf du Plessis has said that the team will search for a new plan ahead of their third game in the World Cup against India. The team lost its second game in the tournament against Bangladesh on Sunday.
"Plan A is gone. It's gone because Plan A was having those bowlers playing together. They haven't played a game together on this tour. Initially Plan B was Anrich Nortje, an extra pace bowler that we had lined up if we had an injury, that is to have another X-factor bowler that can bowl 145 plus. He got injured as well", he said, following the defeat against Bangladesh.
Faf said he will contemplate shuffling the team ahead of the third game against India at the Rose Bowl on Wednesday. "So now you're moving into your all-rounder territory. You got two medium pace all-rounders and then you got Chris Morris that like sits in between your fast bowlers and your medium pace bowlers. So, now you have to really look at what we can do to try to be effective; is it playing all-rounders together, do we play two spinners. Now it's reshuffling all our cards and see how best we can deal with it,” he said.
He, however, put on a brave face and refused to rule out South Africa’s chances of lifting the cup for the first time. "I have to believe that. I won't be South African if I said no. I would go back and try and see how we can lift the spirits in the team and we are playing a strong team like India in their first game in our third game, so as a team we know we are not good enough at the moment and we have to turn it around... We won't be going back and just falling over I promise you,” he added.
In its third match, South Africa faces India which is yet to play a game at the World Cup. With two defeats in two games, the Proteas are already on the back foot with the now familiar 'chokers' tag that has clouded them in the past World Cups again coming back to haunt them. After losing the opening game to England, South Africa were beaten by 21 runs by a resurgent Bangladesh team on Sunday.
Opening batsman Hashim Amla, who was injured by a bouncer from Jofra Archer in South Africa’s opening game against England, is set to return to the team alongside fast bowler Dale Steyn who was seen practicing after the game against Bangladesh. Lungi Ngidi, who was injured in Sunday’s loss to Bangladesh, is ruled out of Wednesday's clash.