Former India spinner and head coach Anil Kumble believes South Africa's pace trio—Marco Jansen, Kagiso Rabada, and Lungi Ngidi—possess the variety needed to dominate even in batting-friendly conditions, as demonstrated in the ongoing Champions Trophy.

Advertisment

On Saturday (March 1), the unbeaten Proteas secured their place in the semi-finals with a commanding victory over England, maintaining their position at the top of Group B. They started their campaign with a resounding 107-run win against Afghanistan, followed by a washed-out second fixture, before sealing their group stage with a convincing seven-wicket win over the Three Lions.

Also Read: 'Virat Kohli's fighting spirit, energy and passion make him a great', says former West Indies batting legend

South Africa’s pace attack has been instrumental in their success, restricting England to 179 and Afghanistan to 208—the two lowest totals in the tournament so far.

Advertisment

"I think one good thing about South Africa is that all three of their fast bowlers that played today—of course, Mulder is the one who bowls in the middle overs—but if you look at the three tall fast bowlers, all of them are really tall. And all of them are different," Kumble was quoted saying on ESPNcricinfo’s Match Day show.

South Africa's lethal trio attack

The trio of Rabada, Ngidi, and Jansen has taken 11 wickets in just two matches, making them one of the most effective pace attacks in the tournament.

Advertisment

"Their angles are very different. Rabada is very classical, whereas Ngidi’s action makes him awkward to face, and Marco Jansen comes at such height. So, all three are very different, and that’s exactly what you want in one-day cricket—variation," Kumble added.

"Even on a flat track, it’s not easy for batters to line them up because of their distinct styles. That’s something South Africa can feel confident about as they head into the knockout stage," he said.

Jansen, the towering left-arm pacer, spearheaded South Africa’s bowling attack against England on a lifeless Karachi pitch. Using his height to generate bounce, he dismantled England’s top order in the powerplay, putting his team in firm control.

"I think he's still very young, although he has played quite a lot of cricket. He has certainly matured. These three wickets will give him confidence. You can also see his athleticism in the field with his catches," Kumble said.

"He has improved a lot with his batting as well, contributing on many occasions for South Africa. In that sense, he’s a complete package at No. 7 or No. 8. And with the ball, he can swing the new ball back in, making it difficult for batters to handle him," Kumble noted.

"We saw that with Phil Salt—it just took off steeply, and he couldn’t get over it. That’s the kind of variety you need in your bowling attack, and South Africa has plenty of it," he signed off.