SA cricketers start ‘spin’ camp in Mumbai

Temba Bavuma, Keshav Maharaj, Dane Piedt and Tabraiz Shamsi are some of the players who arrived in India this week for a special training camp that will focus on playing and bowling spin in the subcontinent.

South African batsmen struggled to pick Indian spinner during the LOIs earlier in the year.

Three months ago, during the limited-overs series against India at home, the South African cricket team had a tough time picking spinners Yuzvendra Chahal and Kuldeep Yadav. Keeping in mind the tour of Sri Lanka that starts July 7, the Proteas think tank has sent few of their cricketers to India for a subcontinent training camp.

Temba Bavuma, Keshav Maharaj, Dane Piedt and Tabraiz Shamsi are some of the players who attended the camp that started at the D.Y. Patil Stadium in Mumbai on Monday.

The focus of the camp is ‘spin’ and former India and Mumbai off-spinner Ramesh Powar is overlooking the affairs. “The South African cricketers have arrived through the board. There are eight to nine spinners and a few batsmen.

"They are trying to prepare for the subcontinent conditions, whenever they travel here. They want to do some spin-bowling practice. I have been asked to give assistance to spin bowlers,” Powar told Sportstar on Tuesday.

While Powar will handle the spinners, Mumbai Ranji Trophy coach Sameer Dighe and former Mumbai U-23 coach Vinayak Samant will supervise the batting department.

The South African contingent is accompanied by batting coach Neil McKenzie and Russell Domingo, the former national coach who now works with South Africa A.

“There are a left-arm spinners and leg-spinners too. I will be helping all of them out,” he added. The camp ends on Friday.

South Africa will play two Tests, five ODIs and a one-off T20 against the Islanders.