After the Blackcaps T20 loss to South Africa, I found myself in a weird spot as I once again highlighted some confuzzling selections. While I couldn't care less whether our best cricketers play international T20 cricket or not, I simply found it interesting to compare the selection decisions between the kiwis and South Africa; Blackcaps went with sluggers, South Africa went with their classy ODI batting unit.

There appeared to be a mass over-reaction to that T20 loss (confusing selections are just par for the course now) and gauging the public's views from the first ODI led me down a similar path. Sure there are a few holes in the Blackcaps ODI side that we need to get right before the Champions Trophy, but even with South Africa oozing all sorts of quality with the willow, the Blackcaps very nearly won that game.

While watching this enjoyable contest, it became apparent fairly quickly that the main difference between these two teams is where they are at in their development as ODI teams.

This is especially the case as we work towards the Champions Trophy and you only need to compare the experience and comfort in selections/plans of these teams, to know that this Blackcaps team is still very much building towards their best. That's why there is no need for us to panic, especially when our messy team is running a settled group to within a whisker of victory.

The Blackcaps are experimenting with Tom Latham as a wicket-keeper/opening-batsman, while South Africa have a 24-year-old wicket-keeper/opening-batsman who averages 44.25 in ODI cricket. Let's not forget that Quinton de Kock also knocks around at 51.04avg in Test cricket.

The Blackcaps don't know who their best all-rounders are let alone where they fit in, while South Africa's Chris Morris and Andile Phehlukwayo have been low key guns for South Africa in the T20 and first ODI.

The Blackcaps have resisted the urge to give their leg-spinner valuable game time ahead of a major tournament, while South Africa have shown their attacking spinner all sorts of faith in the past five years or so.

That's why I am perhaps more interested in how this Blackcaps team progresses through the series, if the decision-makers are able to fight off the urge to chop and change frequently. We've already seen this between the series against Australia and now South Africa, with a winning team changed. This is where things get funky though and while it's a minor point of frustration - just give Tom Latham a few series' to really suss out this wicket-keeping/opening-batsman stuff - this Blackcaps team is still trying to figure things out.

Let's be frank here; there are so many talking points in this Blackcaps team. That's simply because they are still sussing out their balance between batsmen, all-rounders and bowlers, or which players can really be relied on to do a job under pressure. When you ponder that the next major tournament is a few months away, there's a requirement to really figure out how different combinations work.

Keep that in mind as we progress through the series as it will be a point I fall back on. These South Africans are obviously bloody good and as they are fairly settled on their balance/roles, it allows them greater chances of success because they aren't so worried having a poor game or two and being dropped. They have the talent, experience and they are on a streak of success in this format, which gives them an edge.

The Blackcaps will win games, perhaps they might pop up and win the series. That's how things go when the Blackcaps play cricket in Aotearoa, yet the big fish is the Champions Trophy on foreign soil. This makes the minor battles between players within the Blackcaps during this series so fun and while you are admiring the quality of de Kock, AB de Villiers or Hashim Amla, note down what each kiwi player is up to each innings.

I reckon this series will give us crucial information about a few players and how they fit into the strongest possible Blackcaps ODI team.