The latest addition to the South African squad for the ICC Cricket World Cup, Pakistan-born leg-spinner Imran Tahir will be the country's 'secret weapon' at the mega-event, starting from February 19 in the sub-continent, said Proteas skipper Graeme Smith.
Smith explained that it was a conscious decision not to expose Tahir, who only received South African citizenship midway through the just-concluded tour of India, in the one-day series matches against the visitors.
"(Tahir) is someone we want to keep fresh and not allow people the opportunity to see so much of. It was also a tactical decision, with our batting being slightly light in this series (against India)," Smith told a daily SportsDay.
Tahir, who came up with some superb performances in local games, is also familiar with the sub-continental pitches.
"The conditions in India will be a lot more batting friendly, and we will need to adapt our mindset from a batting and bowling perspective," Smith said.
"The great thing about our squad is that it's hard to predict what the line-up is going to be. It's the first time we're going to a World Cup with a lot of different options.
"We need to assess the conditions going into our first game and pick the team accordingly. I don't think we are going there with a set XI in mind. We are going to pick the best combinations for each game; players we believe can win that game," added Smith.
{{/usCountry}}"We need to assess the conditions going into our first game and pick the team accordingly. I don't think we are going there with a set XI in mind. We are going to pick the best combinations for each game; players we believe can win that game," added Smith.
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