A South Africa team without Keshav Maharaj is rarer than a sponsor’s logo on an athlete’s clothing. At least almost.
In South Africa’s Tests and T20Is, Maharaj has played 80.82% and 60%, respectively, since his debut. Only 43.75% of their ODIs. Had he not missed four ODIs and five T20Is recovering from his March 2023 Achilles rupture, the equation would have been different.
ODIs are rarer for Maharaj because he entered international cricket as a Test bowler. Because he came up when South Africa’s white-ball spinner was Imran Tahir.
Tahir last played ODIs at the 2019 World Cup. South Africa has played 68 matches under the format, with Maharaj playing 45. Or 66.18%.
On Tuesday in Cairns, he captured 5/33, his first five-wicket haul in his 49th ODI, finding turn and bounce.
Maharaj took all 26 wickets in his first 26 deliveries, scoring only nine singles.
His opening ball of the contest, bowled from round the wicket, straightened like a well-aimed dagger after pitching full on leg stump to ambush Marnus Labuschagne on the back foot. Labuschagne’s colleagues waiting to bat would have been frightened by the amount of turn extracted before the ball would have hit middle stump, the gizmos indicated.
After missing a first-ball sweep to Maharaj and being smacked on the boot, Alex Carey reviewed his lbw ruling. Off-stump was the goal this time.
Carey entered after Maharaj bowled a hesitant Josh Inglis. Cameron Green and Aaron Hardie were also bewildered and bowled.
A masterclass in left-arm spin enabled South Africa win the first of three series games by 98 runs. The visitors’ 296/8, powered by Aiden Markram’s 82, Temba Bavuma’s 65, Matthew Breetzke’s 57, and Wiaan Mulder’s 26-ball 31 not out, including 92 runs between Markram and Ryan Rickelton and 92 between Bavuma and Breetzke, was enough.
Maharaj is a good left-arm spinner but bad at self-promotion.
“I was very fortunate to get the rewards,” he told reporters. “I mean, I put the balls in the right area but it’s not often that happens.”
Hearing him, you may suppose the pitch was the key to his success.
“That new ball caused a sticky reaction off the wicket. The ball softened, negating it. Later in the innings, the pitch had more spin, possibly because it was utilised.”
After his playing career, South African cricket needs Maharaj in administration. Any chances?
People often ask me what’s next. I still believe in my journey at 35. Im continuously learning. I quit the game when I stop learning.”
Hopefully straight to a committee room. In 2019, when cricket in South Africa was in ruins due to administrative mismanagement, sponsors left CSA. No thanks, former president Chris Nenzani and sacked CEO Thabang Moroe.
Current CEO Pholetsi Moseki, serial acting CEO Jacques Faul, and former chair Lawson Naidoo, thanks for clearing up the mess. President Rihan Richards, from the dark old days, thanks for not blocking development. On Tuesday, the Suzuki emblem appeared on South Africa’s playing shirts after its long absence.
Maharaj has the selflessness needed to tailor the game’s best caretakers. However, there is an ego.
His first match since the first Test against Zimbabwe in Bulawayo in the last week of June was Tuesday’s, when he was likely still upset about bowling only a dozen of South Africa’s 121.4 overs to beat Australia in the WTC final at Lord’s.
The conditions and match outcome caused that. Good luck convincing Maharaj. He is loud and vital in the dressingroom yet modest with the media.
In Zimbabwe, Maharaj captained the Tests in place of the injured Bavuma. A groin strain kept him out of the second encounter in Bulawayo. He was then left out of the T20I triseries against New Zealand in Harare and the three T20Is South Africa played in Darwin and Cairns in the past 10 days.
In an era where batting skill seems to matter most in T20 cricket, Maharaj’s 45 not out and 106.81 strike rate after 95 innings don’t help. Not when George Linde, who has four half-centuries and a strike rate of 135.27 in 164 T20 innings, is involved.
However, other players may enjoy a break. Maharaj’s pleased only when playing.
“I was unhappy to be left out, but I guess the coaches felt some way. So it’s good to perform in shorter formats to prove I can.”
In Tests, he has taken 11 five-wicket hauls and a 10-for, more wickets for South Africa than any other spinner, and a better average than Paul Adams, Paul Harris, Nicky Boje, Pat Symcox, Andre Nel, Jacques Kallis, Brian McMillan, and Eddie Barlow.
Earth to Maharaj: any format works. Selectors, consider Maharaj three times before choosing him. Then pick him.
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