Not concerned about Amla’s form: Russel Domingo

Hashim Amla has been out of sorts, managing only 89 runs in the five-match ODI series. The South Africa Test captain got just one run on Saturday against Board President’s XI and went into a lengthy practice session at nets in the evening with Australia’s Mr. Cricket, Michael Hussey, doing the throw-downs.

“We are not concerned about his form. We know all batsmen go through a rough patch in some part of their career. We are confident about him scoring runs. He is currently in the nets and is doing his best to regain form,” SA coach Russel Domingo said.

Amla was the visitors’ standout performer during the 2010 tour to India, scoring 253*, 114 and 123* in his three outings. But his struggles outside off-stump on this tour has been obvious and prompted Shardul Thakur to bowl in that corridor with success.

“I had seen his videos were he has tended against struggle to outgoing deliveries. I tried to bowl in that corridor. There was moisture in the pitch in the morning and it helped,” said Thakur who ended with 4/70 his best figures this season.

The Mumbai seamer admitted despite help from the pitch he couldn’t trouble AB de Villiers. “He didn’t give us any chances. He cut me for a boundary which I thought was a good ball but when I asked him how he managed it, he said it was a bad ball for him,” said Thakur while recollecting his brief chat with the South African great.

Domingo was happy with AB’s knock and the practice game overall. “AB hadn’t played a Test since January against West Indies. He missed the Test against Bangladesh.

“He wanted to leave some balls and score in some particular areas in this innings which he got in the end. We got a good practice session had a good look at our spinners. Harmer and Piedt can do the holding job while Imran Tahir is the attacking option. We will assess the Mohali pitch and decide,” he said.