Cape Town - JP Duminy has given the Proteas selectors a massive headache ahead of the third Test against England at the Wanderers in Johannesburg next week.
Duminy, 31, has 33 Tests to his name, but was a notable ommission from the Proteas team that did battle against England at Newlands in the New Year's Test.
Temba Bavuma - playing in only his seventh Test - went on to score his maiden Test ton (102*), an innings that went a long way towards the Proteas avoiding defeat after England had posted a mammoth 629/6 declared.
Many felt - prior to the Test - that Duminy's added ability with the ball would give him the nod over Bavuma in the starting XI.
Alas, it proved to be a masterstroke on the part of the national selectors.
Duminy was subsequently released for Sunfoil Series duty with the Cape Cobras - and responded in a manner befitting his champion credentials.
Playing against the Highveld Lions in Paarl, Duminy plundered the visitors' attack to the tune of 260* runs, featuring in an unbroken 393-run partnership with wicketkeeper Dane Vilas (216*) who himself was dropped from the national squad following the recent tour of India.
The Lions' attack included Hardus Viljoen who, like Duminy, was released from the national squad after the Newlands Test.
Viljoen's bowling figures after the Cape Cobras declared their first innings on 570/4, read: 26-8-61-1
The third Test at the Wanderers gets under way on Thursday, January 14.
Whether Duminy will replace Bavuma in that team, or space for both of them will be found, remains to be seen...
Meanwhile, Rilee Rossouw, the third and final player to be released from the national squad, top-scored with 17 in what was a woeful Knights performance (76 all out) on Day 1 of their Sunfoil Series clash against the Titans in Bloemfontein.