3 underrated South African players who have been crucial to their 2023 World Cup success so far

With six wins from seven matches and their best net run rate in the competition, South Africa are flying high in the 2023 World Cup. The Proteas are at the top of the table at the time of writing and are one of the clear favorites to make the knockouts.

The main men have stepped up for South Africa in the World Cup so far. Quinton de Kock is the leading run-getter in the competition, with 545 runs in seven innings at an average of 77.85. He is closely followed by Aiden Markram and Rassie van der Dussen, who are in the top 10.

With the ball, meanwhile, Marco Jansen and Kagiso Rabada have been excellent. The former has been deadly in the powerplay and has picked up a tournament-leading 16 wickets, while Rabada isn't far behind with 11 and an excellent economy rate touching five.

A few players, however, have flown under the radar amid the pyrotechnics of the likes of De Kock, Markram and Heinrich Klaasen. They might not be celebrated in the same way as their teammates, but they've been essential to South Africa's rise to the summit.

On that note, here are three underrated South African players who have been crucial to their 2023 World Cup success so far.

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#3 David Miller

David Miller is quietly having an excellent tournament.

David Miller might not be one of the highest run-getters in the side, but he's quietly having a great tournament. The southpaw has amassed 220 runs in seven matches at an average of 44 and a strike rate of 129.41, with a highest score of 53.

Miller has made important contributions in almost all of South Africa's matches, ensuring that they don't lose momentum at the death - a phase of the game that they have bossed. He has even been promoted ahead of Klaasen on occasion, a testament to how destructive he can be as well as the faith the team management have in him.

Miller has scored less than 20 in only two of his seven innings, and while he may not be as recognized for his efforts as Markram and Klaasen, he is a crucial cog in the middle order. He is also the Proteas' only left-hander in the middle order, something that cannot be undervalued.

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#2 Gerald Coetzee

Gerald Coetzee has made sure South Africa haven't felt Anrich Nortje's absence.

South Africa are without Anrich Nortje for the 2023 World Cup, but Gerald Coetzee's rise has ensured that the senior fast bowler's absence hasn't been felt.

With 14 wickets from six matches at an average of 21.78 and an economy rate of 6.85, Coetzee is the fifth-highest wicket-taker in the competition. He has picked up at least two scalps in all but one of his matches in the World Cup, with his ability and aggression post the powerplay serving as the perfect foil for the other bowlers in the side.

South Africa's death bowling hasn't been tested yet, and Coetzee might need to contribute on that front as well. So far, though, he has been on par with or better than the more experienced bowlers in the side, namely Lungi Ngidi and Rabada.

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#1 Keshav Maharaj

Keshav Maharaj has often played as the only frontline spinner.

Keshav Maharaj might not be among the wickets on a regular basis, but he has played his role to near perfection in the 2023 World Cup.

Tasked with keeping run-scoring in check during the middle overs, Maharaj has an economy rate of 4.93 and has conceded more than 60 runs only once in the tournament. He has also chipped in with 11 wickets, four of which came in South Africa's thumping win over New Zealand.

Maharaj has even had a role to play with the bat. He scored 40 in the loss to the Netherlands and held his nerve under pressure to hit the winning boundary and take the side over the line in a thriller against Pakistan.

Playing as the sole frontline spinner in most of South Africa's games, Maharaj has done a good job but has flown under the radar so far.