With Bradley Grobler injured, Stuart Baxter has called up Chinese based Dino Ndlovu and says the strikers’ scoring form warrants his selection, writes DEAN WORKMAN.

Baxter named the former Mpumalanga Black Aces forward in his squad which will face Seychelles in two matches; Bafana will host the Islanders in their first fixture at the FNB Stadium on 13 October before visiting the Stade Linite three days later.

Watch: Baxter names Bafana squad to face Seychelles

Bafana are looking to bounce back from a home 0-0 draw against Libya and currently sit second in Group E, level on four points with log-leaders Libya after two matches played.

Ndlovu was last in the squad while playing in the Champions League with Azerbaijan based club Qarabag FK, where Baxter highlighted his concern about the quality of opposition Ndlovu was facing.

His concerns would have been further compounded when the forward made the move in January to Chinese second division side Zhejiang Greentown.

Ndlovu, however, has been in scintillating form for the Chinese side, scoring 18 goals in 20 matches so far and with Grobler missing due to a niggling groin injury, he was the obvious replacement according to Baxter.

READ: Baxter on Nodada’s maiden Bafana call-up

Speaking at the squad announcement, he hailed the strikers scoring form by saying that Ndlovu believes he will score in every game, something that not many South African strikers have in their locker.

‘Listen we have got Bradley out and we looking for a striker and if you look at the strikers who are hitting the back of the net regularly and Dino is doing that.

‘I think against a team like Seychelles we will need a bit of muscle, we got Lebo [Phiri] and Dino, we will need a little bit of guile, we have got Percy [Tau] and we will need pace and we have got Phakamani [Mahlambi].

‘I think we have a decent balance with our front players and I think Dino Ndlovu if he plays he will believe that he is going to score.

‘I’m not sure how many strikers we have available to us that believe they are going to score. It is always an issue and you [the media] always grill me on it after every game when we don’t score on why we don’t produce goal scorers.’

Baxter was also quick to downplay the importance of the standard of the league Ndlovu is currently plying his trade in.

‘Here’s one who is scoring goals and whether it is in the first division of tenth division, he is scoring goals regularly.

‘Iv seen some of the goals he has scored, they are good goals even against some of the opposition.

‘So, I think he is well worth bringing into the squad to maybe be a little bit infectious with his belief in his own ability and I think that’s one of the other reasons why we have brought him in,’ concluded the Bafana coach.

READ: Baxter names changed Bafana squad

Photo: Samuel Shivambu/BackpagePix