Proteas top order have to improve against the new ball says Maharaj

PROTEAS spin bowler Keshav Maharaj says the team’s top-order batsmen must get into the swing of things quickly on their current tour of India.

Humiliated by their hosts in the first T20I on Wednesday, South Africa were on 9/5 at one stage before getting 106/8 in their 20 overs.

India got the winning runs with eight wickets in the bank and ahead of Sunday’s second match in Barsapara, the hero of the first match Maharaj says their batsmen must come up with better plans.

Having top-scored scored with 41 runs off 35 balls after coming in at No.8, Maharaj says: “We have to address the new ball – the way we play it, there is a lot of swing and maybe just adopt our plans and mindset and take it from there.”

He adds: “We didn’t expect the ball to swing that much, I don’t think it was easy wicket to bat on … but the application we showed up front, we have to reassess that.”

There could also be changes to the top order for Sunday’s match, with the possible re-introduction of the in-form Reeza

Hendricks.

Dropped for captain Temba

Bavuma, who was the first man to go on Wednesday without getting off the mark, Hendricks, who scored four fifties and a 42 in his last five innings for South Africa, could return in place of the injured Quinton de

Kock – if he is ruled out.

De Kock hurt his hand while keeping wicket, but played on. However, with the World Cup around the corner, it would be silly to risk further injury.

Heinrich Klaasen is the backup wicketkeeper in the squad.

And if Hendricks does come in at the top, the Proteas risk losing their right-left opening combination.

Whether they change up the team or not, the Proteas have to sort out this problem against the new ball quickly, even urgently, with the World Cup in Australia next month now just a few short weeks away.

MEANWHILE, elsewhere in the Proteas team, here is an expectation surrounding Tristan Stubbs – the same that someone like Herschelle Gibbs carried on his shoulders throughout his career.

And it’s the same with every ‘bums-on-seats’ superstar who has ever played the game.

People buy a ticket to watch them alone, and they often leave when they are dismissed. Ask Shahid Afridi.

It’s an immense burden for a youngster to bear.

I hope we allow ‘Stubbsy’ to grow, develop and just enjoy the rollercoaster ride, and not expect him to win the upcoming T20 World Cup single-handedly.

He will fail – that’s a reality – and when he does, he should not be crucified, because such is his undoubted quality that he will also win many, many games for South Africa.

So, curb the enthusiasm South Africa, because Tristan Stubbs is in it for the long haul and this youngster is not just a one-hit wonder.