South Africa’s Keshav Maharaj celebrates New Zealand’s BJ Watling. (Photo by MARTY MELVILLE/AFP/Getty Images)
If there were a singular takeaway from the recently-concluded first Test between the West Indies and South Africa, it would be the remarkable endurance of Proteas’ left-arm spinner, Keshav Maharaj, who is capable of bowling tirelessly under any conditions. On the exceptionally docile track of Queen’s Park Oval in Port of Spain, Maharaj delivered 28 consecutive overs on Day 3 of the match, followed by an additional 12 overs the subsequent day.
Maharaj, the Player of the Match from the first Test, bowled 66.2 overs throughout the match, delivering 17 maidens and claiming eight wickets. He spoke about his enduring passion for the game and also elaborated on his primary fuel for bowling.
“My passion is spin bowling. I love it. I can wake up at two o’clock in the morning and if you ask me to bowl, I’ll bowl/ That keeps me motivated. And also, the desire to want to do well for the team and take this team into a different direction, I’ll bowl the whole day if I need to,” stated Maharaj from Trinidad, as quoted by ESPNcricinfo.
He also elaborated on his singular focus when preparing for any game, which has consistently been to train as if he would be expected to participate in red-ball cricket. Additionally, he discussed the trade-offs he faces compared to many other spinners, as well as the strategies he employs to counteract these challenges.
“Whatever format I play, I always keep my workloads as if I’m preparing for Test cricket. The only thing that changes is your lengths and sometimes your lines a little bit, but from a longevity point of view, I still bowl my long hours, regardless of whether it’s T20 or 50-over cricket. It’s something I pride myself in. I don’t have many variations like the other types of spinners around the world so I try to rely on consistency and being able to do it for long periods of time,” mentioned Maharaj.
I never want the captain to take the ball away from me in Test cricket: Maharaj
Maharaj, who seldom has the opportunity to showcase his skills with the ball when the Proteas play Tests at home, further expressed his enthusiasm for the chances he is receiving to fully unleash his bowling prowess. He also spoke about his insatiable desire to bowl as extensively and effectively as possible.
“I never want the captain to take the ball away from me in Test cricket, so I’m always trying to bowl my best ball and trying to be a wily old character,” added Maharaj.
With the second Test commencing in a few days, Maharaj will be recuperating from his extensive spell and is expected to deliver another formidable display of spin bowling, aiming to secure a decisive advantage for South Africa in the second and final Test of the series.