'A' opportunity of a lifetime

"Guys, all your energies need to be focused on this team and not be playing to gain national recognition. Improve your skills, put in good performances, play for the team, try and win games for this team, and in that way, you are going to try and get the right to play for South Africa."

Russell Domingo's message to South Africa's 'A' team is clear. It is a critical message, coming at a critical point in time for South African cricket. A good performance in the ongoing quadrangular series in India could pump chances massively for a berth in the World Cup squad. Players know that. And more importantly, the coach knows what his players know.

There are two obvious realities that the players are aware of, so the talk is happening within the team. As Theunis de Bruyn puts it, "it's common sense".

Firstly, with a large chunk of senior players expected to retire in the near future - Hashim Amla, Faf du Plessis, Dale Steyn and Imran Tahir - to go with the recent retirements of AB de Villiers and Morne Morkel, the current A squad players could be central to the next generation of South African cricket. The quality of opportunity is different to what their opponents in this quadrangular series will have.

And secondly, there are spots open for the World Cup. "There definitely are certain spots available in the national side," Domingo admits. "I spoke to Ottis Gibson yesterday as to what he is looking for, certain players in certain positions. We will try and provide those players with those opportunities." However, he adds a word of caution. "Ultimately that is the main goal - of preparing players for the national side, but without playing for it." He has been left tasked with playing the good cop, and bit of a task master too.

Irrespective of how well South Africa have fared in Test cricket and ODIs for decades, the elusive World Cup trophy is still a disturbing blip. On the positive side, the need to win that also becomes the drive for every new generation of their cricketers.

As Temba Bavuma puts it, "I would like to be part of the group that brings home the World Cup. That's the biggest thing. We have won everything else. We have done well in Test cricket, won a lot in one-day cricket but that's the one thing I want to bring home."

And he's not the only one. Be it de Bruyn, who sidelined tennis, golf, rugby and his chartered accounting degree for a future in cricket, or Dane Paterson, who has been in love with the game since he started playing at the age of four in the open farms opposite his house, the dream for everyone has been to win the World Cup. And with each passing edition, the prize has only become grander.

"Every time South Africa don't win a World Cup, there is a pressure on the next group of players," Domingo explains. "There is a burden of the tag that comes along with playing for South Africa."

With the bait dangling, it is hard for the players not to be tempted by the prospect of individual glory. Not everyone has time on their side. "The World Cup is the big goal. When I was 26 years old, that was my long-term goal. Next year I'll be 30," says Paterson.

The opportunity is open, and the quadrangular series is a vital opening. Despite several senior players in the squad, there are enough gaps to fill. It might be a worrisome situation for the selectors and the coaches, but a good motivation for the A team players.

"We are all chasing the dream of representing the country in the World Cup," says Bavuma. "And that's what I'm doing. All these opportunities that we are getting at the national level, at the SA A level, they are all an effort to strengthen your case in the World Cup squad."

While Bavuma and de Bruyn have been earmarked as the batsmen for the future, and very much the options in the middle order, they haven't played a lot of white-ball cricket lately. The issue compounds in de Bruyn's case since he originally made his name in the domestic circuit for his exploits in white-ball cricket.

And it isn't just these two. In recent times, the selectors have preferred to give a run to the likes of Zondo and Reeza Hendricks to see how well they fare in the international set-up. With few spots to battle and numerous contenders up to stake a claim, the individual race can make the team dynamics quite messy.

Add to this the case of Farhaan Behardien. Having made his debut in 2013, the all-rounder has played 59 ODIs, including being a regular in the last World Cup. And today, closing in on 35, he finds himself out of favour from the national side. Unlike Bavuma, Zondo and de Bruyn, experiencing different conditions and growing as a cricketer holds lesser benefits for Behardien. He doesn't have time for all that. His sole attempt will be to re-establish himself in the national side

In such a case, how do you give two different set of instructions to two different cricketers? Domingo believes, there can be 'no different messages'. He is clear: "Focus on this team, focus on this particular event. Selection looks after itself."

That will be easier said than done given that this series will not only be an audition for World Cup places, but also the breeding ground for Generation Next. "There will be a lot of opportunities, more specifically for the batters," Bavuma admits. "The senior players will be leaving. From where I stand, I will be putting my name forward to fulfill those roles whenever they leave."

With the South African players usually spread out, playing for different domestic teams, counties and T20 leagues, it is rare that they come together. Domingo sees this as an opportunity to allow the team to grow both individually and as a group.

"Some of these players have never been to India before, never been tested in these kinds of conditions, never played on these kinds of pitches," says Domingo. "So it is learning every single day. When we are travelling to the ground there is learning, when we are practising there is learning.

"It is a fantastic opportunity for these young cricketers. It is not only about helping them develop as cricketers but also as individuals. There are a lot of these players here who are earmarked for future national recognition in all formats. These are important tours to gain confidence and show what they are capable of for the national side."

However, he has advised caution against judging them too quickly. "It is tough to replace those (senior) cricketers. But the hardest thing to replace is their experience. When you bring in a guy to start his international career and you expect him to perform like de Villiers or Kallis or Steyn, it's impossible. Those guys also took a little bit of time to find their feet. And that's why the other players around them are so important - the Hashims, the Fafs, the JPs, the Millers - to allow the younger players to find their feet.

"There isn't going to be instant success. If you're going to bring a new player into international cricket, unless he is KG Rabada it is not often that he is going to shoot the lights out. Kallis has been dropped, de Villiers has been dropped, Amla has been dropped, Steyn has been dropped. They have all been dropped at the start of their careers because it is not easy. You need to have patience with those younger players."

There is lot of excitement in the South African camp; a lot of nervous energy as well. What has, however, proved a dampener is rain. The series has already been shifted from Vijayawada to Bengaluru, but more importantly, the tournament has been cut short. Instead of seven 50-over games, South Africa A will now be playing only four at best, complicating the ordeal of the players further.

"Any chances of play?" is a general query. They all want to go out there and strengthen their case for national selection.

Some off days are just unwanted.