South Africa cricket team captain Hashim Amla has said that they would not underestimate West Indies, as the tourists gear up for a three-Test series amid player wage disputes and a string of poor performances.
Amla said that there's definitely no need to be complacent against the West Indies, adding that the visitors have a team that has a lot of explosive power, they play colourful, exciting cricket.
The West Indies players pulled out of the fifth and final ODI against hosts India in October over a pay dispute with the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB), with the remaining ODI, one T20 International and the three-Test series all cancelled, Sport24 reported.
The first match of West Indies' tour begins on December 17 in Centurion, and the top-ranked South Africa would set out to dominate from the start. Meanwhile, the eighth-ranked West Indies come into the series with six losses from their last 10 Tests, but Amla insisted that the visitors would provide a good contest.
The skipper said that there's no reason for them to hold West Indies in any lighter esteem, adding that the visitors have got a good squad and the strength of South African team is concentrating on what they do well.
Amla, however, also believes that South Africa come off a 4-1 ODI series loss away against Australia last month, but their 50-over struggles would have been forgotten when it comes to donning the whites.
He said that he doesn't think any of the baggage from Australia would follow them.
Amla said that Test cricket is a largely different format from one day cricket, adding that being at home with the team they have, an almost developing Test team, he doesn't think that series would impact them.
South Africa Test squad is: Hashim Amla (captain), AB de Villiers, Alviro Petersen, Dean Elgar, Faf du Plessis, Stiaan van Zyl, Quinton de Kock, Vernon Philander, Robin Peterson, Dale Steyn, Morne Morkel, Temba Bavuma, Kyle Abbott, Kagiso Rabada.
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