Keshav Maharaj Revives Spin’s Importance in South Africa
Men’s cricket in South Africa can be divided into two eras: BM and AM. The letters B and A stand for “before” and “after.” The M represents Maharaj, as in Keshav.
Before Maharaj, spin bowling had not been fully trusted since Hugh Tayfield’s era in the 1950s and 1960s. It was what captains turned to when their fast bowlers were unable to break a partnership.
Alternatively, it can be utilised at the end of a session to squeeze in an extra over. Or when a sun-baked pitch crumbled as a match approached its finale. But only occasionally: the quicks fancied a fissure in an uncertain surface.
Part of this was due to South Africa’s circumstances, which always favour seam. Some of it was wrongheaded. Whatever way you twisted it, it wasn’t sexy.
Most cricket-minded South Africans referred to bowlers as seamers and believed you understood. Spinners have to be unusual in order to be included in the conversation. They had to be Tayfield, Lefty Adams, Denys Hobson, Baboo Ebrahim, or Alan Kourie. Even then, they were not trusted. They could just as well have been aliens from another planet.
Maharaj’s presence exposed the strength of slow poison and its capacity to do more than just a holding function. It could exert pressure. It could cause batting and running blunders. It may take wickets. It could potentially secure more than one position in the XI.
South African wickets continue to be ideal for rapid bowling. The country continues to produce more high-quality quicks than it needs. But now spin is seductive.
Does Maharaj claim credit for making that happen?
“Umm, not really,” Maharaj told Cricketbuzz. “It was fate that Russell was the head coach and Faf was the captain.” South Africa also had Immy in the white ball space, putting up impressive figures. In the Test space, Faf and Russell provided me the opportunity to shoulder the burden of producing spin in our country.”
Russell Domingo, Faf du Plessis, Imran Tahir, and Maharaj came together to create a unique map. Domingo didn’t come from a high-level playing background, therefore he didn’t have any player prejudices. Du Plessis is still the most thoughtful skipper South Africa has had. Tahir blazing a trail so brilliant, it could be seen from orbit.
Maharaj also had assistance from bowlers such as Claude Henderson, Simon Harmer, Dane Piedt, Shaun von Berg, and Prenelan Subrayen, who helped to establish the reputation and value of spin in South Africa.
In the ten seasons between 2000/01 and 2009/10, a slow bowler was the leading domestic first-class wicket-taker only twice (once shared). It happened five times over the next ten summers, ending in 2019/20, with spinners taking the top two slots once.
Spin has dominated the list four times in the past five seasons, beginning in the summer of 2020/2021. Spinners have only made the top three once and the top two once. Spin in South Africa has become too seductive for its shirt.
Maharaj might not have been who he is now if any of those circumstances had not been present. Of course, he needed to do his part. That might not have happened until one day at Durban’s Northlands Primary School.
“Back then, I was a fast bowler. When I was 12, I became furious with the coach at the nets. I didn’t appreciate what he said about my bowling. I said, ‘OK, screw you.’ To irritate him, I decided to bowl spin.”
Andrew Bennison, the coach, recognised Maharaj’s promise early on. Bennison and Maharaj’s father, Athmanand Maharaj, a regional wicketkeeper and teacher, took their mentoring duties very seriously.
Still, many were astonished when Maharaj was named to a Test XI for the first time, at the WACA in November 2016. Including him.
“When I first got the call to join the squad, I didn’t expect to participate. I assumed they were simply curious about what I was up to. Also, it is unusual for a [non-Australian] spinner to make their debut in Australia. Simon and Dane were the system’s primary spinners. “I was overjoyed to be a part of something so special.”
Most of this is true. The line regarding foreign spinners, however, is not totally accurate. Slow bowlers have made fewer debuts in other countries than Australia, including South Africa, Pakistan, New Zealand, and the West Indies. However, nearly twice as many have taken their bows in Bangladesh as Down Under.
Whatever. Back at the WACA, Maharaj was given more overs than he would have bowled after Dale Steyn departed the pitch holding his shoulder an hour into the second day of play.
Steve Smith charged nearly three meters down the pitch to face Maharaj’s 23rd delivery. The ball evaded the bat but not the pad, and Aleem Dar got Smith out. Smith referred, which was understandable given his distance from the stump.
Dar’s decision, however, was upheld thanks to an umpire’s call on impact. Maharaj also dismissed Peter Neville and Mitchell Starc, and bowled 18.2 overs at a more-than-acceptable economy rate of 3.05. Then he blasted two fours and three sixes in his 34-ball 41 not out, allowing South Africa to set a lofty mark of 539.
