Tristan Stubbs is enjoying his cricket again: ‘Playing one format consistently helps’

Tristan Stubbs says being able to focus on one specific format has helped him find his best form again.

The 25-year-old, who’s been in and out of the Proteas red- and white-ball teams over the last few years, and been asked to bat at No 3 in the Test side and then been shifted down the order, has hit good form at the T20 World Cup in India.

Stubbs though, despite also scoring many runs in the latter stages of the SA20 in January and leading the Sunrisers Eastern Cape to a third title in four seasons, was initially left out of the Proteas T20 World Cup squad, because of a lack of runs.

He got a break though when Donovan Ferreira was forced to withdraw from the squad with an injury on the eve of the tournament and the rest is history; Stubbs has been phenomenal for the Proteas in India.

Besides his batting heroics in the group stage victory over Afghanistan when he hit a last-ball six in the first Super Over to keep his team in the mix and another six in the second Super Over, he has also played excellent middle order knocks of 34 not out (19) against Canada and 44 not out (24) against India.

And his fielding in the deep, where he has taken several excellent catches, has also been top notch.

Finding rhythm

“I think it comes down to playing one format consistently over a period of time,” said Stubbs about his form. In the latter stages of the SA20 he also scored well, with a 62 not out off 41 balls in the final a highlight.

“Chopping and changing [formats] is hard. In Test cricket you have to be so disciplined, and technique really matters.

“Until August I don’t have to worry about what my shoulder and left elbow are doing. Now, I’m just trying to hit the ball over the ropes.”

Stubbs says he has also done a lot of work with specialist coaching consultant Albie Morkel, a big-hitting lower-order batter in his day as well.

“It’s been good. Once the confidence came back, the game was there … once I got the swing back where I needed it to be. T20 cricket is also about following similar patterns.

“You can walk in and straight away be on the money, that’s the consistency of playing T20s in a row. It’s always nice doing that.”

Stubbs agreed he was playing with a smile again and enjoying his cricket.

“It took a while to enjoy it again,” he said. “I enjoy it more when I compete more, and I’m trying to compete in every moment, so I am enjoying it.”

The Proteas are next in action at the T20 World Cup on Thursday when they take on the West Indies in a Super Eight game.