In an age where sports stars are often reluctant to take full responsibility for not living up to expectations, it is refreshing to hear Titans captain and batter Sibonelo “Sibz” Makhanya admitting his career, so far, has not lived up to its promise.
When he came through the ranks at the Dolphins in Durban, where he made his debut in all formats in 2014 as a middle-order batter, Makhanya, 27, was touted as a genuine Proteas prospect.
Makhanya’s rose markedly shortly after his domestic debut as he was part of the South Africa side that lifted the Under-19 World Cup in Dubai in 2014, beating fancied Pakistan in the final. That South Africa U-19 squad, which Makhanya at times also captained, included the likes of captain Aiden Markram, Andile Phehlukwayo, Kagiso Rabada, Clyde Fortuin and Corbin Bosch, who went on to have contrasting fortunes.
The tournament also featured players from other countries that became global superstars, including Imam-ul-Haq (Pakistan), Nicholas Pooran and Shimron Hetmyer (West Indies), Kuldeep Yadav and Shreyas Iyer (India) and Kusal Mendis (Sri Lanka).
Nine years have flown by and Makhanya has never come anywhere near Proteas senior selection. He is the first to admit he hasn’t been produced the performances to warrant playing for his country.
“If I am brutally honest, I don’t think I have been consistent enough to challenge [for selection to the national squad],” he told TimesLIVE Premium.
“In glimpses I have shown I can, but I don’t think I have done it consistently to push people at the top. I agree there are solid players but if I am being honest, I have not done enough on a personal level to challenge.”
Makhanya said his focus now at the Titans is to achieve that consistency. “My biggest thing is consistency — whenever I go out there, I try to help the Titans win games. The rest of it we can’t control. Sometimes we get lucky and don’t see that, and sometimes we are very quick to see misfortune and we miss the blessings.
I just wanted more and to challenge myself, and luckily I got the opportunity to be at one of the best franchises in the country
— Sibz Makhanya
“The plan is to be consistent every season. If it happens, you deserve it and if it doesn’t happen, so be it — just be the best person you can be.”
Makhanya said a major reason he hasn’t scaled the heights is because he was in a comfort zone at the Dolphins. “As people we go through different zones of comfort and you don’t really know it until someone points it out. In Durban, I could never admit it but there was probably a level of comfort that I had where I wasn’t being challenged or pushed hard enough.
“Moving here to the Titans, you are exposed to a certain level because you share a changeroom with guys who are doing it in the world. I am talking about some of the best players in the world and not just South Africa.
“You are consistently challenging yourself to be better and that’s why I believe this environment is one of the best to be in. You are exposed to people who are living their dream and because of that you have to challenge yourself on a daily basis to be the best.”
Makhanya has not given up hope of representing the Proteas. “I am 27 years old now, I think I still have a lot of time and my ultimate dream is still to play for South Africa. It is a dream I’ve had since I was a kid. I probably lost the passion for it for about three years, but the hunger is back and it remains my ultimate dream.
“I understand what it takes and I am willing to do the hard yards. There will be no greater achievement for me and my family than representing my country.”
Makhanya doesn’t regret swapping Durban for Pretoria. “I was starting to feel stagnant in Durban and on a personal level I had reached a ceiling. You hear a lot about how much potential you have. For two years I spoke to coaches who worked with me while growing up and they have always encouraged me to move.
“But it is something I didn’t take on board until about three to four years ago, when I sat down and had a hard look at myself and I said maybe it is time to take a leap of faith.
“It was purely about wanting more for myself. I got to a stage where I wasn’t comfortable any more with what I was achieving and where I was. I just wanted more and to challenge myself, and luckily I got the opportunity to be at one of the best franchises in the country.
“The last few years have been incredible. I am a Durban boy and moving up to Pretoria was not the easiest thing, but it is possibly one of the best decisions I have made in my life and career. Moving to an environment like this at the Titans, you can only become a better player and person. It is an absolute privilege to be associated with such a union.
“Our team is good, the balance is strong and even if you look at the bench, it is also quite strong. Winning trophies is always down to the squad, it is not necessarily guys out in the middle but about those on the sides too.”
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