Within 24 hours Jacques Kallis will have retired from Test cricket and South Africa’s quest for replacement will begin.
In reality, Kallis is irreplaceable so it is virtually impossible to fill the void of South Africa’s greatest cricketer.
Instead the selectors are likely to bank on the ‘horses for courses’ approach.
The first obstacle is the toughest and with a rampaging Australia arriving in only few weeks’ time, it is likely the South Africa will play with an extra batsman given the defensive mindset of Graeme Smith and influence of Mitchell Johnson on the tailenders.
With the first Test match on the fast, bouncy track of Pretoria, and the third Test at the seaming Cape Town, South Africa will load up their pace battery with four quicks (Dale Steyn, Morne Morkel, Vernon Philander and Kyle Abbott) and play JP Duminy and Dean Elgar as part-time spinners.
Choosing Robin Petersen is risk given if he is taken out of the attack by the Australian batsmen, so the pace trio will have to share a heavy workload.
With three Tests against Australia in three weeks it remains unlikely Morkel, Steyn and Philander will be pushed.
Smith’s conservative approach in the recent Test series against India is a clear indicator South Africa is still paranoid of losing for the sake of winning.
Similar trend followed in England last year when after the retirement of Mark Boucher, they opted for AB de Villers to perform a dual role rather than bringing in a dedicated wicketkeeper.
It was a further suggestion South Africa preferred to strengthen their batting.
Even for a team that is number one in the world, they are unlikely to risk a bowling all-rounder at number seven or a rookie wicketkeeper, especially against quality bowling line up of Australia.
If South Africa opt for a bowling all-rounder Ryan McClaren or Wayne Parnell are the likely candidates.
McClaren averages 30 with the bat in first-class cricket and has improved his batting over the past couple of years.
Parnell on the other hand has not really developed as a cricketer South Africa would have liked.
He might have gained pace but off-field discretions and a lack of consistency suggests he is suited more as a one-day specialist.
Importantly, McClaren bowling resembles Kallis more than Parnell. It is safe enough to say McClaren is the only viable option.
The other option South Africa could explore is to introduce Quention De Kock as a specialist keeper at number seven.
It will enable De Villers to bat at Kallis’ position at four but it also means there is no all-rounder in the team and hence more work load for Steyn, Morket and Philander.
Although this is the conventional option, the wicketkeeping of De Kock still leaves plenty to desire. Additionally De Villers is comfortable at five and with the gloves so in the near future it is an unlikely option.
The only Test in the nearby future South Africa that could be thrown in disarray will be the second Test in Port Elizabeth.
Traditionally it is the slowest pitch in South Africa and given Australia’s recent spinning woes Petersen could play a role, meaning Steyn, Morkel and Philander’s fitness and ability to share the extra workload could dictate the combination.
South Africa’s next prolific Test series for South Africa will be at home against a weakened West Indies nearly eight months later.
It is a long time away and by then De Kock would have likely taken over gloves from De Villers.
The real challenge will be when they tour India in 18 months’ time. Until then South Africa has plenty of time to groom or develop an all-rounder or a high quality spinner.
Until then the theory of horses for courses is only logical way of replacing ‘King Kallis’.
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