South Africa will be keen to keep Tristan Stubbs at number three in the Test batting order for a long time, starting with the first Test match against West Indies in Port of Spain this week, coach Shukri Conrad said on Monday.
Stubbs, who turns 24 next week, has built a reputation for his brashness and powerful hitting in the Twenty20 format but now looks set to take on a more responsible role in the Test team.
He had previously played just one Test match, scoring four runs in two innings against India in January as South Africa lost by seven wickets.
South Africa have struggled to find a consistent number three batsman in recent years.
“Tristan could do well in that position,” Conrad said.
“I think his mentality and his skill set appeal to someone who would do a really good job, and I’m going to give him a good chance. I’d be surprised if we didn’t support him for the rest of the (testing) cycle,” he said during a virtual news conference.
“I am sure he will perform well in the first Test match or the second, but I think South Africa have secured a good player for the future.”
Conrad said that while Stubbs’ skills were the biggest factor in getting him the job, his large frame also had a big impact on him.
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“I know Tristan checks all the boxes because he’s going to be facing a new ball most of the time. He’s also quite an impressive figure, a big, strong lad, a solid lad. And I like that quite a bit. I like the fact that we have impressive players at the top of the rankings who have a good aura, with strong body language.
“But ultimately the proof will come from the tasting. But yeah, I’m on this path and I’m confident that we’ll start to reap the rewards.”
South Africa will play their first Test series after suffering two heavy defeats in February when they sent their reserve team to New Zealand. They will face the Windies, who they lost a three-Test series to in England last month.
“They have already played three tough Test matches and will gain a lot of confidence from a number of good performances in this series at home,” Conrad said of the opponents.
