After an entertaining contest that kept us on the edges of our seats, Faf du Plessis reflected on the tough finish on Friday for the Proteas against England, writes Abhai Sawkar.

For starters, he said it couldn’t be a better feeling to back playing for his country alongside his teammates.

“Yes, it’s always very special to be back wearing the green shirt no matter how many times you’ve done it. I’ve missed the game for a while, and it’s great to be back for Proteas, especially against quality sides like England.”

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While he has plenty of experience being in charge of the side, he weighed in on the state of the balance of the team, with the incumbent all-rounder Andile Phehlukwayo not selected in the XI for the game. On a more positive note, he was impressed with George Linde’s T20I debut.

“The balance of the side has been an issue, and having a 5-man bowling attack poses its risks. It’s very important to play your allrounders in T20 cricket, since they offer a bowling option.”

“George Linde is a very talented player. He can bat well down the order and he got the nod today to add to our batting depth at #7. There was some stop and turn in the surface.

“Normally he doesn’t bowl this early in the innings, so it was nice to see him take on a new role, maintain his composure, and perform.”

Especially with the ongoing search for a reliable limited-overs spinner, Linde’s audition has well and truly put him in the mix for the T20 World Cup plans going forward.

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The 17th over was the major turning point, as Beuran Hendricks’ fourth over went for 28. But more importantly, Du Plessis encourages him and the team to learn from their mistakes and bounce back.

“If one bowler goes for extra runs, at the end of the day that’s part of the game and we have to accept it, and I wouldn’t be too harsh about that. Tonight wasn’t his [Beuran’s] night – he’ll learn and come back stronger.”

There still is time for a comeback, and two exciting games await us.

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