Reeza Hendricks will at last get a prolonged opportunity at the top of the Proteas ODI batting line-up.
In the past few seasons, Hendricks, 34, has been used as backup at the top of the batting order, but the ODI retirement of Quinton de Kock has freed space for the Lions right-handed batter. After so many years as a fringe player behind others in the pecking order, Hendricks will be looking to use the opportunity to play consistently and add significantly to the 31 ODIs and 54 T20Is he has accumulated since his international debut in a T20 series against Australia in 2014.
At the 2023 Cricket World Cup in India, where South Africa lost in the semifinal to Australia, Hendricks played two matches against Bangladesh and England and scored a combined 97 runs. Before the semifinal, with Temba Bavuma admitting he was not 100% fit and out of form, it was Hendricks' inclusion being clamoured for as a replacement, given his solid 85 off 75 balls in a big total of 399/7 in the 229-run win against England.
Proteas coach Rob Walter stuck with his captain who made a duck as the Proteas top order collapsed to Josh Hazlewood's virtuoso use of humid conditions.
During the 3-2 ODI series win over Australia in South Africa in September, Hendricks opened the batting with De Kock in the last two matches in the absence of Bavuma. Bavuma opened with De Kock in the first three matches with Hendricks coming in at number three in the third ODI.
Now De Kock is no longer in the ODI picture, white ball coach Walter said Hendricks will be backed all the way at the top of the batting, possibly with Bavuma.
“He’s got a bright future for the Proteas,” Walter said. “Quinton de Kock has just retired and Reeza Hendricks is the next man in line. He is going to play more for South Africa. He knows that because I have communicated with him.
“Good teams have good players sitting on the bench and that’s the way it is. When Reeza gets his turn, he’ll be afforded the same in getting opportunities and getting backed the whole way.”
Walter said good players having to be sidelined or wait their turn “doesn’t worry me too much”.
“We are a unit, we work together and the same could be said about Tabraiz Shamsi who came in and gave a man-of-the-match performance but didn’t play the next game. It’s a horses for courses thing but also how the unit operates.”
He might have added all-rounder Andile Phehlukwayo, who in his only appearance in India smacked 39 off 37 balls to close a nervy chase against Afghanistan relatively comfortably in a win by five wickets with 15 balls remaining. He also registered bowling figures of 1/36 in seven overs in that match.
Good teams have good players sitting on the bench and that’s the way it is.
— Proteas coach Rob Walter
A number of key Proteas batters such as Bavuma, Rassie van der Dussen, Heinrich Klaasen and David Miller are ageing and Walter said the transition period has already started. Hendricks still seems to have the energy to play a bridging role in a tricky transition period for the Proteas top order as youngsters such as Dewald Brevis find their international feet.
“It started in the West Indies where we gave some guys opportunities in the 50-over format and against Australia in the T20s where we gave some younger guys opportunities,” Walter said.
“Our plan is in place, we will continue to give guys opportunities though we are short of international cricket between now and the Champions Trophy [in Pakistan in February 2025], with only 11 50-over games.
“We'll manage those players well and make sure we continue to give guys chances where we can but also giving guys rest opportunities. We want our best players to play as long as they possibly can for the Proteas.
“There is an ongoing tussle between international and league cricket and we need to manage that well and make sure our players are well looked after.”
Other players — some young and emerging, others more established such as Hendricks — who can benefit from the transition period are Matthew Breetzke, 25, Tristan Stubbs, 23, Marco Jansen, 23, Donovan Ferreira, 25, Brevis, 20, Bjorn Fortuin, 29, and Lizaad Williams, 30.
After they again failed to reach the final of the World Cup, Walter said the Proteas will take stock with a debrief and give players rest before the white ball series against India next month.
“The guys will get some time off because we have the India series starting early in December. We will be debriefing individually with the players and as a collective along the way. Mostly it will be the good stuff and the small little areas where we want to improve on because we have the Champions Trophy in two years and our home World Cup in 2027 in the 50-over format.
“We have the India series coming, which starts with T20s, and the T20 World Cup starts next year, so we have plenty to be excited about.”
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