Jacques Kallis highlighted the long-term benefits of exposing youngsters to pressure situations at global events.

In a column for the International Cricket Council, Kallis reflected on how the Proteas decision to bring youngsters such as Herschelle Gibbs and Mark Boucher into the national fold for the 1998 Commonwealth Games stood the side in good stead in the months and years to come.

Under the leadership of Shaun Pollock, the young side grew in confidence throughout the competition as they dispatched Barbados, Northern Ireland and Bangladesh en route to the gold-medal match against the old foe, Australia.

Pollock led from the front as the skipper ripped through the Australian batting line-up finishing with 4-19 in nine overs – as the Aussies posted a meagre 183 all out. Though the Proteas suffered a mid-innings wobble, a half-century by Michael Rindel (67) and a useful 36 by Andrew Hudson proved decisive as South Africa secured a four-wicket win.

The victory against Australia spurred the Proteas on to their solitary ICC tournament triumph just a few months later.

“Winning a gold gave us loads of confidence and South Africa won the ICC Champions Trophy in Bangladesh later that year too,” Kallis wrote.

“When you look back at the team now it was the core of players that took South Africa forward in the next few years.”

With the 2020 World Cup T20 fast approaching, the Proteas management ought to follow the example of the 1998 side and blood new talent capable of bringing future ICC silverware to South African shores.

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