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Southampton - A combination of injury and poor form means that South Africa will likely make changes to their starting XI for Monday's crucial World Cup clash against the West Indies at the Rose Bowl.
Having lost all three of their matches at the tournament so far, the Proteas are desperate for a win to finally kick start their campaign.
While the injuries and off-field issues have certainly been disruptive, they cannot excuse what has happened on the field where South Africa have not been anywhere near good enough, particularly with the bat.
The top order has failed to deliver the types of match-winning innings that are needed, with Quinton de Kock's 68 against England in the tournament opener still the highest score by a South African over their three matches.
Aiden Markram was dropped from Wednesday's clash against India, but given how shaky the Proteas top order was against India, he will surely be considered strongly for a return.
The 24-year-old spent a month playing for Hampshire, who play their cricket at the Rose Bowl, in all three formats just before the Proteas left for the World Cup.
In that short time, Markram did enough to suggest that he was the form batsman in the Proteas squad.
In 8 matches in the Royal London Cup, he scored a total of 466 runs at an average of 58.25.
The decision to leave him out against India was largely based on his perceived struggles against spin bowling over the last two years, but there will be no such worries against a West Indian side that is building its tournament on fast bowling.
While Markram is viewed primarily as an opening batsman, he has shown a flexibility that allows him to bat anywhere in the top or middle order.
His return would not likely impact Hashim Amla, who will almost certainly retain his place.
Instead, the brains trust would have to choose between one of David Miller and JP Duminy.
Miller was surprisingly left out of the tournament opener against England and has carded scores of 38 and 31 since then having looked in good touch on both occasions.
Duminy, meanwhile, has played all three matches and scored 8, 45 and 3.
More concerning than the scores in Duminy's case is how he has been dismissed.
Against India on Wednesday he went back to a delivery from Kuldeep Yadav that he should have been forward to while against England he threw his wicket away when he chipped Moeen Ali to long-off.
He is a man rich in experience and talent and has given so much to South African cricket, but the selectors will have to think long and hard about whether the Proteas will be better off without Duminy on Monday.
The other conundrum comes in the bowling department where Beuran Hendricks is expected to come straight into the side at the expense of Tabraiz Shamsi.
With Steyn and Ngidi both out, the Proteas played two spinners against India, but now that Hendricks has settled into the squad, they have the option to bulk up their fast bowling stocks once more.
"Beuran is a really good bowler and I rate him a lot," Kagiso Rabada told media at the Rose Bowl on Sunday.
"Coming in as a lefty gives him variety and he has a lot of skill. He has played international cricket before so he knows what it is about.
"Ever since I started playing professional cricket I have played with him and against him so I have seen enough to have confidence in him being in the team."
Play on Monday starts at 11:30 (SA time).
@LloydBurnard is in England covering the 2019 Cricket World Cup for Sport24 ...
