Cape Town: South Africa cricket chief coach Russell Domingo on Friday said that his side has no fears about facing Australian fast bowler Mitchell Starc in the West Indies and also backed his talismanic pacer Dale Steyn to return to top form.
Domingo also believes Starc will not be at his best since he is coming back from a lengthy injury lay-off.
"We've played him before. We know he's a quality bowler, a great reverse swing exponent, good with the new ball, good at the back end," Domingo was quoted as saying by cricket.com.au.
"But he's also come off quite a lengthy break as well, so it will probably take him a little bit of time to get back into his rhythm and find his pace again," he added.
"But that's why you play, you want to play against the best sides in the world. It's an opportunity to improve our one-day ranking by playing a side ranked above us."
South Africa have rested Steyn for the tri-series against the West Indies and Australia but he will be back for the Test series against New Zealand.
"Dale Steyn is a champion bowler, he just hasn't played too much recently," Domingo said. "Often with players like Dale, when you write them off, that's when they become the most dangerous."
Steyn's latest injury, a right shoulder problem, forced him to miss most of the home Test series defeat to England at the start of the year. He only featured in two matches in the World T20, when he appeared not to be his usual menacing self.
Steyn has 406 Test wickets and is closing in on Shaun Pollock's South African record of 421. South Africa also have a new fast bowling star to fall back on.
Domingo said that there would now be a temptation to play 21-year-old speedster Kagiso Rabada in every game and every series the Proteas play.
"We need to be very careful about that," Domingo said.
The coach also brought up South Africa’s poor record in the World Cup and said that they would not take the West Indies lightly.
"We will never, and have never discounted the West Indies," Domingo said.
"They have three more World Cups than we do, and they got them in one year."
(This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed - IANS)