By Ben Dirs

Tsolekile was a schoolboy prodigy in Cape Town

Mark Boucher is the most prominent victim of South Africa's policy to be "more adventurous" in selecting the squad for the tour of India.

The main beneficiary is Thami Tsolekile, the Western Province wicket-keeper who has replaced Boucher for the two-Test series that starts next month.

South Africa's previous black players have all been seam bowlers, most notably Makhaya Ntini, the current side's most incisive weapon.

Tsolekile's inclusion demonstrates black players are challenging the stereotype and pushing for places throughout the side.

Refreshingly, while Boucher's omission has raised a few eyebrows, there can be no suggestion the choice of Tsolekile came down to anything but hard statistics.

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Tsolekile, a schoolboy prodigy who toured England last summer, has been Western Province's first-choice gloveman for the past two seasons, scoring a century and seven fifties in 54 first-class games.

Meanwhile Boucher, a veteran of 76 Tests, has managed 116 runs in his last seven Test innings.

I'd like to think I'm in the team because I'm the best Thami Tsolekile

Indeed, the 24-year-old Tsolekile is indignant at the notion political manouevring played a part in his selection.

"If I was selected for the team because I am black I'd actually pull out," he told BBC Sport.

"I'd like to think I'm in the team because I'm the best.

"I think it's time for a change. The guys that have been picked, like Hashim Amla and Alfonso Thomas, are the guys who have been doing well in the SuperSport Series."

Nevertheless, and despite a very public seal of approval from cricket board chief executive Gerald Majola, Tsolekile admits his surprise at getting the nod.

Their recent run of 10 successive one-day international defeats might make it appear otherwise but these are exciting times for South African cricket under new coach Ray Jennings.

TSOLEKILE FACTFILE Full Name: Thami Lungisa Tsolekile Born: 9 October 1980, Cape Town, Cape Province First-class figures: 1519 runs at 26.64, 176 catches, 18 stumpings Broke almost every Cape Town schoolboy record as a student at Pinelands Made his first-class debut for Western Province as a 19-year-old in 2000 Captained the South African team at the 2001 Under-19 World Cup Toured Australia with South Africa A in 2003 Toured England with South Africa in 2003

The era of imposed racial quotas is receding, largely because the proliferation of non-white talent is making quotas unnecessary.

As a result, the unsavoury affair of 2002 that resulted in white batsman Jaques Rudolph being replaced in a Test side at the 11th hour by coloured all-rounder Justin Ontong, need never happen again.

Non-white players are earning their place in the side and the likes of Tsolekile and Amla, who could become the first Asian to play for South Africa, are the players charged with dragging their country into a brave new world.

"It doesn't matter to me whether players are black or white," says Tsolekile. "All that matters is that players are in the team on merit.

"We have been on a losing streak but I'm looking forward and hopefully we can change that in the next month."

India will be a tough initiation for Tsolekile, Amla and Co, however much Australia soften them up in the current Test series.

But Tsolekile is no stranger to the dust bowls of the sub-continent having played in Pakistan and Sri Lanka with South Africa Under-19.

"I haven't been there for the last four years so it will be a great challenge for me, although it will be tough. But I'm looking forward to it."

And the cricketing world is looking forward to seeing a truly multi-coloured side representing South Africa from now on.