Keshav Maharaj has proven himself to be the perfect temp for Temba Bavuma’s limited-overs Proteas captain’s armband.
The 31-year-old was tasked with leading South Africa in the last two matches of their 2-1 ODI series defeat to Sri Lanka, after Bavuma was ruled out with a finger injury.
And he more than surprised in his role, guiding the team to victory in the second match after losing the first, before leading from the front as South Africa restricted Sri Lanka to 203/9 in Tuesday’s decider.
A batting collapse saw them go down by 78 runs, but Maharaj’s decisions in the field made fans and his coach sit up and take notice.
Coach Mark Boucher says of Maharaj: “Kesh has got a very smart brain – he’s shown that he’s performed really well as captain for the Dolphins...
“He’s had a fantastic start, albeit a stand-in captain for Tembs. The way he’s led the guys on the field, his bowling changes, his fielding positions, he demands respect from the rest of the guys as well.
“He’s been fantastic in the environment. It’s good signs when a guy comes in as stand-in and shows great quality leadership as he has.
“It leaves us with a lot of confidence going forward that Kesh is around and has shown leadership qualities.”
Of captaining the side, Maharaj says: “It’s been overwhelming at the start, I was nervous before the first game.
“But I thoroughly enjoyed it, unfortunately couldn’t help the team get over the line.
“I thoroughly enjoy captaincy, it gives me responsibility and keeps me calm on the field – it gives me a different outlook on the game. I thoroughly enjoyed the experience.”
The team’s focus now shifts to the T20 series against their hosts on Friday, but not before the T20 World Cup squad announcement today.