South Africa’s senior statesmen are lining up to sing the praises of under-fire Quinton de Kock.

And coupled with reports that AB de Villiers did not do any training behind the stumps on Sunday, the indications are that the young batsman-wicketkeeper will retain his position in the team, and the only debate is where he will bat.

Hashim Amla is convinced his struggling opening partner will be soon be back among the runs: He is the only one of the top six not to have scored a century in this world Cup. In fact, he has scored just 53  in six innings.

‘Quinny will come good at some stage,’ said Amla, who denied that the failure of his partner was forcing him to play more aggressively to make up for it.

‘You’ve got to look at the context of the game, sometimes you get a loose ball up front and you manage to score from that, unconsciously you score quickly. But I haven’t consciously been any more attacking.’

Captain AB de Villiers, in an earlier press conference, labelled De Kock ‘a match-winner’.

‘There is no doubt in my mind that he will play a part in us winning this World Cup,” De Villiers said. ‘He is still my first pick.’

De Villiers, too, is adamant that he does not want to take the wicket-keeping gloves as well as captain.

‘It puts a lot of pressure on me when I am in the field and managing the bowler. When I don’t keep I’ve got more time,’ he said.