You don’t get much more pointless than a T20 series between two second-string teams at a time when everyone is preparing for the one-day international World Cup. Yet that’s exactly what Australia and South Africa are about to do. There is no way of sugar-coating it: the series is only really being played to appease broadcasters, yet somehow, there is something to be gained from the three-match slap and tickle contest the two teams are about to play. Most important is the test of South Africa’s depth, and giving fringe players a crack at international cricket.

The three games will be played in Adelaide, Melbourne and Sydney, and will be spread across five days. Here are five talking points ahead of the series.

The independent T20 team approach

For most international teams, T20 is where the money is. It pleases broadcasters and generates big bucks because the game is easy to sell. It’s also the format which can be pawned off all across the world if cricket hopes to become a truly global sport. In a utopian world, T20 cricket would run like a Sevens tournament, independent from tours and with a team that doesn’t offer much in cross-over from Test and T20 players. While that is not possible with the way cricket is currently run, the two teams put up by the two sides will at least offer some sort of glimpse into what could happen if T20 immersed itself in “Moneyball” principles and opted mostly to feature players who do not play Test or one-day cricket regularly. Both teams are stacked with players who are new to the scene, and offer the chance for both sides to test their depth. The approach is unlikely to catch on but, at least, there will be some fresh faces to watch.

Kagiso Rabada: a talking point all on his own

Since his breakthrough during the Under-19 World Cup earlier this year, Kagiso Rabada has been talked about as the next big thing in fast bowling. A contract with the Lions and an A-team tour to Australia followed, but Rabada is still trying to find his feet in the realms of being a fully professional cricketer. He’s had ups and downs in the handful of franchise games he has played, and will now get a chance to make his full international debut. With pace to match the likes of Dale Steyn and Mitchell Johnson, Rabada is far from a finished article. Should he debut, though, it will at least offer the opportunity to see first-hand just how soon he’ll be ready for the big stage. The man himself says he knows he has to keep practising and learning, and there is no better way to learn than bowling to players like Aaron Finch.

An audition for higher honours

South Africa’s ODI squad might be mostly decided, but a few spots remain for those who put their hands up. With players like Rilee Rossouw and David Miller struggling for form, this is an opportunity for a few other players to stake a claim for consideration. T20 and ODI cricket are two very different formats, but if you can bowl yorkers consistently and engineer an innings in the shortest format of the game, chances are good that you’ll be able to transfer those skills to one-day cricket. Players like Kyle Abbott, Reeza Hendricks and even Farhaan Behardien have a chance to remind selectors why they are so highly rated domestically.

David Miller’s big moment?

Speaking of David Miller, this T20 series has to be a big one for him. Miller time has never quite come as many had hoped, and the Durban boy has had an immensely frustrating international career. Perhaps he just needs to get a monkey off his back, and since T20 is the format where he has stood out domestically, this is the perfect platform to go and get a big score. Miller has the talent and determination to be a big star for South Africa, but he needs to repay some of the selectors’ faith soon.

JP Duminy’s captaincy credentials

When Graeme Smith retired and the captaincy job was up for grabs, JP Duminy emerged as a late contender. He never got the gig, but he has been given a chance to captain the team in the absence of Faf du Plessis. He’s not going to shift any of the established captains from their gigs, but Duminy’s approach will be interesting to observe. Mostly because South Africa often talk about a “leadership contingent” rather than a single captain. That group consists of Hashim Amla, AB de Villiers, Faf du Plessis and, of course, JP Duminy. Seeing what he’s made of will offer insight into how the tactical brain box of the South African team ticks, and give Duminy the chance to be a bit more experimental. DM

Photo: South Africa’s JP Duminy plays a shot during the second day of the second cricket test match against Australia in Port Elizabeth, February 21, 2014. REUTERS/Rogan Ward