South Africa’s left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj has signed up with BPL franchise Fortune Barishal and is scheduled to arrive in Chattogram on February 13 in time to play their match the next day. It will be Maharaj’s first stint in the BPL.
Keshav Maharaj, 34, is coming to the BPL a day before South Africa begin the second Test against New Zealand in Hamilton, a series they are trailing 0-1 after a big defeat in Mount Maunganui. The South African Test squad in New Zealand is made up of extremely inexperienced players, with almost all of the regulars playing in the just-completed SA20 back home.
Maharaj finished playing the SA20 on February 10, when his side Durban Super Giants lost the final to Sunrisers Eastern Cape. He wouldn’t have been available for the Hamilton Test that begins on February 13 anyway, as Cricket South Africa (CSA) policy stipulates players need a week to acclimatize to venue conditions.
It is learned that a few South African players who were involved in the SA20 inquired about the possibility of playing in the final week of the ILT20, but did not request no-objection certificates because CSA was not keen on the idea. Maharaj will also miss the domestic four-day competition that resumes in South Africa this week.
Fortune Barishal could do with a bit of help from Maharaj. They have broken into the top four in the points table, and have four important matches remaining in the BPL. However Keshav Maharaj had a great stint in recently concluded 2023 ODI World Cup.
Keshav Maharaj’s stint in 2023 World Cup.
Maharaj’s assertion comes on the heels of his remarkable performance in the World Cup 2023, where he showcased his prowess with the ball. Across nine matches, the left-arm spinner clinched 14 wickets with an impressive economy rate of 4.37. Notable among his performances was a standout four-wicket haul against New Zealand.
Former South African speedster Dale Steyn has expressed the same regarding the spinners roles in the upcoming T20I World Cup on sluggish pitches in West Indies and United States of America where scores will be around the bracket of 140-150 for most of the duration over 55 matches .
South Africa has found a gem in magnificent spin wizard Keshav Maharaj ahead of WT20I 2024 exclaims former South African speedster Dale Steyn
Former South African pacer Dale Steyn believes bowlers make excellent captains and cited the example of Keshav Maharaj as an example. Maharaj recently led the Durban Super Giants (DSG) to seven wins out of the ten group-stage matches in the SA20 2024.
The Super Giants went on to qualify for the final, where they lost by 89 runs to SunRisers Eastern Cape. Maharaj was exceptional on the field and led the team from the front.
However, Maharaj’s record isn’t as praiseworthy in the 50-over format, with South Africa winning two and losing three in his seven games as skipper.
“Bowlers are very good thinkers of the game” – Dale Steyn exclaims
Dale Steyn feels bowlers being terrific thinkers with the ability to read players makes them a more than viable option as captains.
Several legendary bowlers/bowling all-rounders have led their sides successfully over the years, including Kapil Dev, Wasim Akram, Imran Khan, and Anil Kumble, among others.
“They (bowlers) are very good. I never captained South Africa. Fast bowlers are very good thinkers. Bowlers are very good thinkers of the game. They read the players very well. It is a tougher one (in terms of captaincy). You should be able to manage your workload, injuries as well as when to bowl and when not to bowl,” said Steyn.
The legendary South African pacer also pointed to the success of current Aussie skipper Pat Cummins.
“Pat Cummins has found this really good. If you look at his record in the last two years of captaining, he has won everything, he has taken five-wicket hauls, he is scoring runs, and he is making the right calls. It depends on the individuals but at the end of the day, it boils down to workload and injury. Fast bowlers are more injury-prone than the potential batters who captain the side,” stated Steyn.
Since becoming captain of the Australian Test and ODI sides, Cummins has demonstrated the ability to lead them to several monumental wins while performing well with the ball and even with the bat.
Under the 30-year-old, the Aussies were champions of the World Test Championship (WTC) and the ODI World Cup, defeating India in the final last year.