STUBBS: BETWAY SA20 WILL HELP PREPARE THE PROTEAS FOR T20 WORLD CUP

Sunrisers Eastern Cape star batter Tristan Stubbs has highlighted the importance of the upcoming Betway SA20 Season 2 in the Proteas’ build-up to next year’s ICC T20 World Cup in the Caribbean and United States of America.

The Proteas have just five official T20I matches ahead of the T20 World Cup next year after the first of three T20I’s against India was washed out at Kingsmead in Durban last Sunday.

Today’s second match at Stubbs’ home ground at St George’s Park in Gqeberha could also be affected by weather which further impacts the Proteas’ preparations.

But Stubbs, who was the most expensive signing at the inaugural Betway SA20 Season 1 auction, believes that despite the limited international action for the Proteas together, the Betway SA20 Season 2 starting on January 10 in Gqeberha will provide sufficient opportunities for the South African players to fine-tune their T20 games.

“The next few months will be crucial in our T20 cricket. The SA20 competition is of a very high standard and we will be tested there,” Stubbs told TimesLIVE.

“Whenever you get a chance now, whether it is for the Proteas, in the SA20, or the IPL, you have to try to maximise each opportunity. In doing so, things may fall into place if you do well enough.”

Stubbs was part of the Proteas’ last T20 World Cup squad in Australia last year, but the 23-year-old is taking nothing for granted about his inclusion for next year’s showpiece event.

“It is something I've thought about, but only a bit. I try to not look too far ahead,” he said.

Stubbs experimented with a new role during the preceding T20I series against Australia where he kept wicket, but is unlikely to take the gloves against India with Durban’s Super Giants gloveman Heinrich Klaasen back in the Proteas squad.

Instead, he will fully focus on fronting up to the challenge of facing India’s barrage of Indian Premier League superstars such as Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Ravi Bishnoi and Mohammed Siraj.

Fortunately, Stubbs has spent the last two seasons with the Mumbai Indians and believes he is adequately prepared.

“Being in the IPL you do quite a bit of analysis on the opposition batters and bowlers, which helps coming into this and a lot of our guys have played against some of the Indians in the IPL,” he said

“The most important thing for us would be to continue to play that aggressive brand of cricket, regardless of the competition.”

Stubbs’ Sunrisers Eastern Cape teammate Ottniel Baartman is set for his Proteas’ T20I debut at his home ground today along with Joburg Super Kings left-arm seamer Nandre Burger.

Squads for St George’s Park

South Africa: Keshav Maharaj, Reeza Hendricks, David Miller, Tabraiz Shamsi, Lizaad Williams, Heinrich Klaasen, Andile Phehlukwayo, Beuran Hendricks, Matthew Breetzke, Tristan Stubbs, Gerald Coetzee, Aiden Markram (captain), Marco Jansen, Donovan Ferreira.

India: Ravindra Jadeja, Suryakumar Yadav (captain), Deepak Chahar, Kuldeep Yadav, Shreyas Iyer, Washington Sundar, Ishan Kishan, Jitesh Sharma, Rinku Singh, Mukesh Kumar, Mohammed Siraj, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Shubman Gill, Arshdeep Singh, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Tilak Varma, Ravi Bishnoi