He has played only one Test prior to this.
A Delhi Capitals (DC) star has been earmarked by Proteas coach Shukri Conrad for the No.3 spot in the Playing XI for the upcoming two-Test series against West Indies, starting Wednesday (August 7).
Tristan Stubbs, whose batting approach has impressed the South African coach, was acquired by the DC franchise during last December’s auction in Dubai ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL 2024) season.
Stubbs immediately gave a testament to his prowess and enjoyed a stellar campaign, scoring 378 runs in 14 games, at an incredible average of 54 and explosive strike rate of 190.91.
Now, it is this intimidating presence, that has backed his cause. As the sole selector of both the squad and the playing XI, Conrad has made the decision to give Stubbs a solid chance in the position despite his inexperience, just one Test.
It’s no secret that Conrad sees something special in him but Stubbs’ numbers suggest Conrad is on to something
Stubbs has featured in 18 first-class matches throughout his career, boasting an impressive average of 50.20.
It seems Conrad has more than one reasons to include Stubbs in the team. The top three for the Proteas in the West Indies series will be – Aiden Markram, Tony de Zorzi, and Stubbs.
Interestingly, all the three players are tall and broad-shouldered.
Echoing on the same lines, Conrad said, “Technique is obviously a big factor because you’re going to be facing the new ball the bulk of the time. “And he’s quite an imposing character, a big, strong, strapping boy, and I quite like that. I like the fact that at the top of the order, there are quite imposing guys; guys that have got a good aura about them and strong body language.”
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South Africa has eight more Tests remaining in this cycle, with two each against the West Indies, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Pakistan. These matches will offer Stubbs a chance to adapt to a variety of opponents and conditions.
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