There have been ongoing conversations about the talent depth in South Africa, and despite a rather challenging year, progress has been made. For instance, the road to the T20 World Cup saw the unearthing and rise of multiple talented players. Even though the tournament was a tough experience, there were an array of positives to take.

Now, let’s segue to Test cricket. A similar, discernible trend has been present, even though only part of the domestic season has completed. COVID-19 may have ravaged the domestic fixtures of this month, but it wasn’t without a plethora of dominating performances with bat and ball. The Lions have been in excellent touch thus far, and two of their bowlers have forced their way into the Test squad that will face India in a couple of weeks. One of them is Duanne Olivier, who came back from a Kolpak stay at Yorkshire to reboot his international career. And the other is Sisanda Magala, a seamer who’s made plenty of headway in this year alone.

2021 has been the year in which Magala has been picked for the Proteas in all formats. He may not have had the best audition in the T20I series against Pakistan in April, but there’s been no looking back. Primarily touted as a white-ball hotshot, with impressive death bowling skills and sporadic hefty blows down the order, the 30-year-old has announced himself as a potential all-format option for South Africa. All of the recent success has been very well-deserved – Magala not only worked harder on his fitness, but he’s produced the results, too.

While he was unfortunate not to have a bowl in the rain-affected first ODI against the Netherlands, his continued selection could be a very positive omen for what’s to come ahead. In the 4-Day Series, he took 15 wickets in 3 games, including a 6-wicket haul against the Warriors, and also added a few handy runs when coming in at #8. The fact that he has improved his game in leaps and bounds shows his readiness for more frequent opportunities at international level.

South Africa have announced a Test squad of 21 players, and understandably, there will be plenty of competition to make it to the finalized playing XI. For Magala, it’s definitely a moment to savor – getting picked for Test cricket for the first time is a memorable achievement in itself.