Wicketkeeper-batsman Heinrich Klaasen has all but insisted the Proteas be afforded more Test, ODI and T20I cricket next year.
South Africa’s four-T20I series against India will end this week. The Proteas recently completed a two-Test series against Bangladesh.
Later this year, the Proteas will host Sri Lanka for two Tests – and Pakistan for three T20Is, three ODIs and two Tests.
“That’s the nature of where we are as South African cricket. We don’t play five-match series,” said Klaasen. “How nice would it be if we win on Friday, and then we have another game on Sunday, going into it two-all?
“Our Test team is playing two-Test series, which is ridiculous in my eyes. It’s disappointing and it doesn’t sit well with the players, because we want to play more cricket against these guys and against the other countries as well, but we always find a way to just play two games or three games, and it’s annoying.”
Klaasen has retired from Test cricket – and did not play domestic competition for two months after representing the Seattle Orcas in Major League Cricket in the United States of America in July.
In October, he returned for the Titans in the T20 Challenge. His last seven T20s have yielded scores of four, 14, 13, 13, 25, two and 41.
“It has been a lean run, but I’ve also had a small break so it’s not that easy, in this format especially, just to come in and play aggressive cricket” he added.
“For the style that I play, I just have to find some form. I know and understand my game at this moment, which is very nice, and I’m in a fortunate position to understand my game and know where I need to tweak. Also, I don’t look into that too much, because like I said, it’s been a long year, a tough year, and it was still a fantastic year for me.”