The Expert Opinion: ‘I expect Proteas to bounce back' - Jacques Kallis

South African legend Jacques Kallis has been named the head coach of Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), replacing Trevor Bayliss.

Bayliss was signed up as England national side's coach before Ashes 2015 in July.

Kallis began his IPL career with the Royal Challengers Bangalore in the inaugural season in 2008, before moving to KKR in 2011.

He represented the Kolkata franchise owned by Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan for four seasons and had taken up the role of a mentor and batting consultant last year.

"KKR is my family in India and the association since 2011 has been one of the most enjoyable experiences for me." South African allrounder explained.

"I look forward to the new challenge and feel honored to be part of the KKR family," said Kallis in a statement.

Kallis took up the role of a mentor of KKR in the 2015 season.

The absence of Bayliss has resulted in him stepping into the role to ensure a smooth transition.

Kolkata Knight Riders bowler Shakib Al Hasan (L), Brendon McCullum (C) and captain Gautam Gambhir (R) celebrate the wicket during the IPL Twenty20 first playoff cricket match against Delhi Daredevils. Photo: AFP

Batters have started to come alive in the T20 World Cup following a shift to the West Indies and a blockbuster contest between two of the best batting lineups, at least on paper, in the tournament will face off when reigning champions England take on hot favourites South Africa at the Darren Sammy Cricket Ground in St.Lucia today. 

In six meetings in T20 World Cups, South Africa have had the better of England on four occasions. England won the other two.

The venue for the contest has already seen two 200-plus first-innings totals in the four matches played so far and boasts a 194.75 average first-innings total, and on that basis, another run-fest is expected to be on the cards when the two sides lock horns.

Both sides come into the contest having won their opening Super 8 contests. Despite having flirted with group-stage elimination, England seemed to have found top gear after a dominant display in an eight-wicket victory over co-hosts West Indies in St.Lucia yesterday, courtesy of a match-winning unbeaten 47-ball 87 from opener Phil Salt.

The right-handed batter smacked five sixes and seven fours and put together an unbeaten 97-run stand with Jonny Bairstow (48 off 26) to help England chase down an 181-run target with 15 balls to spare.

England will be further boosted by the fact that their encounter against South Africa will be at the same venue whereas the Proteas played their last match in Antigua.

On the other hand, South Africa qualified for the Super 8s with a 100 percent record but barely got over the line in at least three of the four encounters -- a four-wicket win against the Netherlands, a four-run win over Bangladesh, and a one-run victory against Nepal. South Africa batters struggled to get going on wickets in New York, where they played three matches, as well as in Kingstown where they beat Nepal to cap off the group stage. Batting first in two of those contests, the South Africa batters managed a best first innings total of 115.

Against the USA, however, South Africa's batters were able to get rid of their shackles as they posted 194 for four -- their highest total this tournament so far. Opener Quinton de Kock found his mojo as he smashed five sixes and seven fours in a 40-ball 74 while skipper Aiden Markram notched up his highest score in the tournament -- a 32-ball 46 which was followed by a 22-ball 36 from Heinrich Klaasen.

England are expected to go unchanged from their eleven that played against the West Indies, while Markram has a big call to make -- whether to continue with two spinners or to go with an extra pace option. Tabraiz Shamsi took a solitary wicket but went for 50 runs in his four overs against the USA and should the Proteas skipper opt to go with one spinner, it would likely mean that Ottneil Baartman will return to the lineup.

Bangladesh ace allrounder received a boost for his consistent performance in one-day cricket with the ball last year as he moved up to the number two spot in ICC ODI bowlers’ rankings.

After Mitchel Starc slipped to the third position, Shakib moved to number two while New Zealand's Trent Boult will start off the ODI Series against Pakistan being the number one-ranked ODI bowler, reports ICC’s media release.

There has not been much of a change in the ODI Bowlers' Rankings apart from the promotion of James Anderson and Mohammad Irfan to number 9 and 10 respectively.

Shakib had a decent year with the ball in hand in 2015, played 16 one-day matches for his country and captured 24 wickets. He picked up his maiden five-for in his 157th match on November 7, 2015. His five for 47 in ten overs decimated Zimbabwe at Mirpur.

On January 21, 2016, Shakib became the only the sixth player to score more than 8000 runs and scalp 400 wickets in international cricket. He joined a club that includes Jacques Kallis, Sanath Jayasuriya, Shahid Afridi, Kapil Dev and Chris Cairns.

Shakib Al Hasan is the leading wicket-taker for Tigers in Test as well as T20I matches. In 42 Tests, he has taken 147 wickets. In 42 T20 international games, he has 50. Abdur Razzak is the highest wicket-taker in ODI cricket with 207 wickets, just one better that Bangladesh’s top allrounder.

With the bat, Shakib is the third highest run-getter in Tests with 2823 runs in 42 matches. Shakib is the second highest in ODI cricket behind Tamim Iqbal with 4398 runs in 157 games. In T20I, Shakib leads the pack with 897 runs in 42 matches.

Rohit Sharma stormed to number 5 in the ODI Batsmen's Rankings following tremendous performances in the ODI Series against Australia. Glenn Maxwell also moved up to his career best eight position in the rankings following his performances. The top four did not undergo any changes, with AB leading the charts and Virat Kohli seconding him. Amla and Williamson stays at number 3 and 4 respectively.

Bangladeshi ace all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan takes a wicket. File photo: STAR

South Africa fast bowler Kagiso Rabada will miss next week's second Test against England after his verbal abuse of Ben Stokes during the series opener at Lord's, the International Cricket Council (ICC) announced Friday.

Rabada, 22, uttered an audible obscenity after dismissing all-rounder Stokes on the first day of the first Test on Thursday, his latest offence triggering a one-Test ban.

"South Africa's Kagiso Rabada has been suspended for next week's Trent Bridge Test after his accumulated demerit points reached four within a 24-month period following his latest breach of the ICC code of Conduct for which he received a 15 percent fine and one demerit point," said a statement issued by the global governing body.

The paceman will now play no part in the second Test of a four-match series at Nottingham's Trent Bridge starting a week on Friday.

An ICC statement said Rabada had "used inappropriate language after dismissing England batsman Ben Stokes, which was audible over the stump microphones and also resulted in the batsman to turn before walking off the field".

It added: "During the opening day's play in the Lord's Test against England on Thursday, Rabada was found guilty of ... 'using language, actions or gestures which disparage or which could provoke an aggressive reaction from a batsman upon his/her dismissal during an international match'."

The ICC said Rabada had admitted the offence on Friday and accepted the sanction proposed by match referee Jeff Crowe, the former New Zealand captain.

Rabada, one of the rising stars of world cricket, having taken 71 wickets in just 17 Tests prior to this match, was already on thin ice after an on-field physical clash with Sri Lanka's Niroshan Dickwella during a one-day international in Cape Town in February.

That incident saw both players fined and have three demerit points added to their disciplinary records.

The pair were warned then that if they reached four or more demerit points within a 24-month period, those would be converted into suspension points which would see them banned from their country's next international in whatever format at the time of a subsequent offence.

Nightwatchman Rabada ended the second day's play nine not out in South Africa's 214 for five, a deficit of 244 runs after England made 458 in a first innings where he took three for 123 in 28 overs.

Rabada's absence is set to be a big blow to the Proteas, with all-rounder Chris Morris a candidate to replace him at Trent Bridge.

South Africa opener Reeza Hendricks made light of his late call-up into the side with a fine 85 off 75 balls against England in a crunch ICC World Cup match in Mumbai on Saturday.

Hendricks was only in the team after captain Temba Bavuma was ruled out through illness.

But taking Bavuma's place at the top of the order, he responded with a 48-ball fifty including seven fours and a superb straight six off fast bowler Mark Wood.

South Africa, sent into bat by England captain Jos Buttler, were 4-1 when Quinton de Kock was caught behind off the second ball of the innings.

But Hendricks and Rassie van der Dussen (60) turned the tide with a partnership of 121 that took the Proteas to 125-2.

Hendricks fell 15 runs short of a century, when he got deceived by a googly from Rashid Khan which crashed onto his stumps.

Both sides came into this game on the back of shock losses with South Africa beaten by non-Test nation the Netherlands and reigning champions England defeated by Afghanistan -- their second reverse in three games this World Cup.