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De Kock set for South Africa A tour of India

Quinton de Kock could miss the limited-over games at home against New Zealand in August after being dropped from the team for the second Test against Bangladesh in Mirpur

Firdose Moonda
Firdose Moonda
30-Jul-2015
Quinton de Kock has had problems around his off stump  •  AFP

Quinton de Kock has had problems around his off stump  •  AFP

South Africa wicketkeeper Quinton de Kock could miss the limited-over games at home against New Zealand in August after being dropped from the team for the second Test against Bangladesh in Mirpur. De Kock will be sent to India with the A team, Test captain Hashim Amla said on Thursday, in the hope that he will find form before the South Africa's tour there beginning in late September.
Former selector Hugh Page told ESPNcricinfo he had no doubt that de Kock possessed the "talent and the ability to recover," and that his slump was healthy for creating competition for the wicketkeeper's spot.
After tearing ligaments in his ankle last December, de Kock was rushed back into the side for the 2015 World Cup but has scored just one half-century in 14 innings, and none on the ongoing tour of Bangladesh. His dwindling confidence as a batsman and indecision outside off stump forced the selectors' hand and Dane Vilas replaced de Kock in the Mirpur Test. Amla steered away from saying de Kock had to work his way back but revealed that he would be headed to India with South Africa A.
South Africa A are playing India A and Australia A in a triangular series, which starts early next week, and then two unofficial Tests against India A that clash with New Zealand's tour of South Africa. Should de Kock go to India, South Africa will be without an opening batsman and a wicketkeeper in the shorter formats against New Zealand.
AB de Villiers is set to return from paternity leave and could take over as wicketkeeper, though that may increase the burden on him as captain in ODIs. Vilas has played one T20 for South Africa and could be used, but that would require a shuffling of the batting order because he does not open. A ready-made solution would be for South Africa to go back to 36-year old Morne van Wyk, who could fill the opening berth and keep wicket, but they may see that as a regressive step. They may convince de Villiers to keep wicket temporarily and give Reeza Hendricks, who is part of the Test squad, an opportunity in the formats where he has done well at domestic level.

Firdose Moonda is ESPNcricinfo's South Africa correspondent