Johannesburg, January 7: Former South African cricketer AB de Villiers lauded young batter Tristan Stubbs for his consistent performances in franchise and international cricket, calling him a "wonderful all-round" and "exciting player.
De Villiers was speaking to the media ahead of the start of SA20 league season three, starting from January 9 next year and going on till February 9. The defending champions, Sunrisers Eastern Cape, take on MI Cape Town at St George's Park in Gqeberha in the opening clash.
Speaking about Stubbs, De Villiers said that he is someone that looks like a typical white-ball player and can hit the ball everywhere and really hard and him declaring Tests to be his preferred format is interesting.
"Yeah, he is a wonderful player. I am a big fan of his, and I follow his cricket. He is entertaining to watch in all formats of the game. I think he has publicly announced that he enjoys Test cricket the most, which is quite interesting because he looks like your typical white ball player who is quite aggressive, can hit the ball anywhere and hits the ball a long way and very hard. But I can sort of relate to what he means with that with regard to Test cricket," he said.
"You are dictating terms in your own pace, whereas T20s and ODIs sometimes dictate the pace of the game for you, which can be uncomfortable, especially in T20 cricket when you find yourself at the crease, often feeling uncomfortable with regards to the match situation, the required rate, the adrenaline and the hype that is built up from the crowd," he added.
De Villiers said that he feels Stubbs has lot to offer in white-ball cricket since he has that technique and ability to play all the shots and to change the game.
"I think he will find his rhythm, and he will find that blueprint of his game, especially in T20 cricket. And once he does that, he is going to start winning a lot of games of cricket with the ability that he's got. So he is a very exciting player. He is an exciting prospect for the future of South African cricket," said De Villiers.
"And I think this season for him is just to cement that game plan in all formats, to make sure exactly what his game plans are all about in all the formats, his blueprint in the different formats of the game. Wonderful all-round player. As you know, he can also bowl off-spin. He is a fantastic in the field with a very safe pair of hands, and he has got a sound technique. So there is a bright future, and hopefully, he will keep building on the foundation he has already laid."
The big-hitting Protean, who captured everyone's attention with a 28-ball 72 against England back in 2022, could not convert his versatility and talent into consistency. The year 2024 marked a complete turnaround in fortunes for the youngster who can switch gears with the bat effortlessly, bowl some useful off-break spin and keep wickets.
During Cricket South Africa (CSA) domestic four-day competition Division 1, he compiled a triple century for Warriors against KwaZulu-Natal Inland, making 302* in 372 balls, with 37 fours and six sixes. Not only did he stay unbeaten for such a marathon effort, but also showed that red-ball cricket is just as safe as a T20 match for a modern-day batter to apply their audacity and stroke range truly.
Stubbs also did a phenomenal job in franchise leagues, starring in Sunrisers Eastern Cape (SEC) second successive SA20 title win with 301 runs in nine innings at an average of 60.20, a strike rate of over 168 and three half-centuries, top-scoring for the team. A much-better outing took place in the Indian Premier League (IPL) with Delhi Capitals (DC), scoring 378 runs in 13 innings at an average of 54.00, a strike rate of 190.00 and three fifties and taking three wickets.
Coming to international cricket, Stubbs is displaying a diverse array of strokes and ability to shift from one format to the other not seen since the days of AB de Villiers. Both his reverse ramps, sweeps and marathon Test knocks remind fans of their most beloved cricketer and they look at him as a heir apparent to 'Mr 360'. A middle-order batter in white-ball who can finish with some fireworks, Stubbs is shaping up to be Proteas' next ever-reliable number three batter who can weather any storm.
In 33 international matches in 2024, he has made 1,173 runs at an average of 39.10, with three centuries and three fifties in 37 innings. His best score was 122. In eight Tests, he made 500 runs at an average of 35.71, with two centuries and a fifty, coming to bat at number three. His best score was 122.
