I think you're going to see a hungry Dale Steyn: Faf du Plessis

South Africa ended their disappointing World T20 campaign yesterday with a win over the dismantled Sri Lankan side. The team’s performance obviously will be under the scrutiny of the fans. The team once again under performed to their promise. While the Proteas are trying to figure out about what went wrong with them in the mega event, question marks also hang over Dale Steyn’s form and future in the 20 over format.

Dale Steyn hasn’t been the same player he used to be once. Although he hasn’t faded away completely, the lethality factor has certainly come down. Batsmen don’t see him as a threat anymore. However, Proteas skipper Faf Du Plessis feels that he;s still got the hunger to play cricket.

“On the future of Dale (Steyn), I am not the guy to ask. I think you have to ask Dale that question. He looks hungry still. He still wants to play cricket. I don’t think he’s even thinking of retiring out of any format,” Faf du Plessis, South Africa’s T20I skipper, said in a post-match press conference on Monday (March 28).

With long injury layoffs, Steyn has endured a tough time in limited-overs cricket recently. He made a comeback in the home series against Australia ahead of the showpiece event in India, featuring in a T20I for the first time since April 2014. Even for a bowler of his experience and class, the lack of game-time had an adverse effect, as seen in South Africa’s campaign opener against England.

In the Super 10 stage opener against England the batsmen did a fabulous job, posting 229 on the batting paradise in Mumbai. But the bowlers were taken apart. Steyn bowled just two overs and gave away 35 runs as England batsmen went hammer and tongs in chase.

“Generally, Dale bowls one or two overs in the powerplay and one or two at the death. In Mumbai, he bowled only two overs, but on that day, Chris Morris looked like he was the guy who wanted to win the game. As a captain you always look for such guys on the field. He came to me and said ‘give me the ball’ and you want that. He wanted to try and win the game for us,” du Plessis explained.

Dale Steyn was benched and did not get any opportunity until the dead rubber against Sri Lanka.

“Obviously the conditions changed when we went to Nagpur, where we played the slower bowler and David Wiese was our best bowler on the night,” the skipper said.

While Test cricket remains the ultimate parameter to test a cricketer’s skills and endurance, the T2o format brings intense competition. Dale Steyn was injury hit in 2015 and spent a lot of time out of the team. This led to the skipper get out in search for a new guy to spearhead the fast bowling attack. Kagiso Rabada, the 20-year-old fast bowling revelation, has grabbed that opportunity in Steyn’s absence. Rabada along with Kyle Abbott are regulars and have performed their roles as per expectations.

“The hard thing for Dale was the fact that he was out of the team for so long. When you’re out of the team for so long, you give guys the opportunity to stake their claim,” du Plessis said. “Kagiso has grabbed it with both hands. He’s won a lot of games for us and because he’s done that, it’s hard as a captain to overlook a guy who has used the opportunities to win you games of cricket.

“Dale was close to playing even in the previous game. He’s a world-class player and an experienced guy and he bowled well again tonight but we’ve got some great seamers. It’s the same with Kyle Abbott, he’s played all the games. The two of them have been outstanding for us. So, I just think it’s a case of really good competition. Because those guys have performed in those roles, it’s hard to leave them out,” du Plessis explained.

But, Dale Steyn has the time to get back to his old wicket taking ways. South Africa will now take a break from T20 cricket and will be playing 50 overs and Test matches which will be a great chance for Steyn to regain his lost effectiveness.

“T20 cricket is going to take a bit of a backseat now. We only play again in December. There’s a bit of One-day cricket and the red-ball cricket. Dale obviously, loves the red ball. I think you’re going to see a hungry Dale Steyn still deliver for us,” du Plessis said.