Legendary Indian spinner Anil Kumble has heaped praise on South Africa’s bowling unit ahead of the Champions Trophy 2025, describing it as the “most complete attack” in the tournament.
Speaking to ESPNcricinfo, Kumble highlighted the Proteas’ bowling depth as their key strength going into the competition. “South Africa, to me, have the most complete bowling attack in this Champions Trophy,” Kumble said.
The spin legend pointed to the impressive combination of pace and variety in the South African arsenal. With Kagiso Rabada and Anrich Nortje leading the pace department, supported by Marco Jansen’s left-arm angle, South Africa possesses a formidable fast bowling unit. Add to that the wrist spin of Tabraiz Shamsi and the all-round capabilities of players like Aiden Markram, and the Proteas have all bases covered.
“They’ve got quality fast bowlers, quality spinners, and variety,” Kumble explained. “Variety in the sense that it’s not just right-arm pace bowling; they have the option of the left-arm in Jansen and wrist spin in Shamsi.”
Kumble also acknowledged the strength of other bowling lineups in the tournament, including India, Australia, and England, but maintained that South Africa’s combination of quality and variety gives them an edge.
The Champions Trophy 2025, set to be played in February and March in Pakistan, will see South Africa in Group B alongside Afghanistan, England, and New Zealand. With their bowling strength, the Proteas will be looking to claim their first major ICC trophy after years of near misses in global tournaments.
South Africa recently displayed their bowling prowess during their tour of the UAE against Afghanistan, where their pacers and spinners alike troubled the opposition batters consistently.
Whether this “complete” bowling attack will finally help South Africa overcome their reputation as perennial underachievers in ICC events remains to be seen, but Kumble’s assessment suggests they’ll be a formidable force in the upcoming Champions Trophy.
