SA view: debate continues over who should replace Jacques Kallis in South Africa Test side Bowler Kyle Abbott (L) and batsman Quinton de Kock (R) could be pushing for the same spot. IT seems unfair that South Africa is only allowed to replace Jacques Kallis with one player. The legendary all-rounder essentially filled two positions for the Proteas during his lengthy playing career - one as a middle-order batsman, the other as a first or second-change pace bowler. Now, selectors have to choose which of those roles is more important for the team's balance. The hottest topic among cricket fans in the Republic at the moment - apart from the controversial plan by officials in India, England and Australia to effectively take control of world cricket - is not only who, but what type of player should replace Kallis. Over at the Supersport website, Fanie Heyns spoke to a wide range of current and former players, with almost all of them having a different opinion on who is best to fill the giant shoes of Kallis' for the Test series against Australia next month. Former Proteas vice-captain Craig Matthews put in his vote for Kyle Abbott, even though the 26-year-old would struggle to be classified as an all-rounder. Rather, Matthews believes South Africa should put its faith in the batsmen already in the line-up and pick Abbott as part of a four-pronged pace attack to fight fire with fire against Mitchell Johnson and co. If you've heard of Abbott but can't quite remember why, here's a refresher - he took an incredible 7-29 on his Test debut a year ago, announcing himself on the world scene. And since then, he hasn't played a Test. "But he has come on since then," Matthews said. He consistently swings the ball away, and looks like a genuine international bowler. Former national selector Hugh Page agreed that South Africa should go with an all-out pace attack in February, but disagreed on who should join Dale Steyn, Vernon Philander and Morne Morkel in a fearsome foursome. Pace bwler Ryan McLaren could take on the Aussies in February. "I'd play Ryan McLaren in place of Jacques Kallis, and I'd pick Quinton de Kock and leave the spinner out - we're going to need four seamers and the Aussies play spin pretty well," Page told Telford Vice. McLaren's main experience in the international arena to this point is as a bowling all-rounder in limited-overs cricket. However, his first-class figures jump off the page, with the right-arm paceman possessing a bowling average of 25.47 and a batting average of 30.63. De Kock, on the other hand, is touted as the future of South Africa's rather healthy batting stocks. While the likes of Hashim Amla, AB de Villiers and Faf du Plessis still have plenty of years left in them, some are already calling for 21-year-old de Kock to be brought into the side to gain valuable experience - even if it is against three of the best pace bowlers in the world. "If we don't have guys who can play quick bowling, we're going to get stuffed," Page said, with admirable levels of straight-talking. Quinton de Kock can play quick bowling. He's the best prospect in SA cricket since Jacques Kallis. Why should we wait until he's ready? That's the kind of statement that will make Darren Lehmann's men excited. Jacques Kallis" retirement has caused serious headaches for Proteas selectors. Speaking of excitement, there was plenty of that back at the Supersport website as veteran journalist Neil Manthorp held a Q & A this week. The vast majority of the questions focused on two topics - who has a better pace bowling attack between South Africa and Australia, and who should replace Kallis. In answering the latter question, Manthorp concluded that a spinner - Robin Peterson in all likelihood - should stay in the South African side, at the expense of a batsman. "I believe SA have to have a bowling all-rounder at number seven which is why all the talk of Ryan McLaren and (left-arm paceman) Wayne Parnell," Manthorp wrote. We end on a slightly different note, with news that South African officials have hastily arranged for the Test side to play a one-off warm-up match against a 'B' team to prepare for the arrival of the Australians. Most of South Africa's best players are currently slogging it out in the RAM SLAM T20, their version of the Big Bash League, and there are concerns the Test players will still be in Twenty20 mode when they take on Australia. Many people down under had the same concern when Australia headed into the Ashes off the back of a seven-match one-day series against India. But we all remember how that worked out.