[ad_1]
While the 2019-20 summer was forgettable for South Africa as a whole, it was also the season that Tabraiz Shamsi took over. It was a time of personal and professional change: he played in every South African white ball game (six ODI and eight T20I) to establish himself firmly as Imran Tahir’s successor in limited formats and welcomed his first child. the world, days before a national blockade in response to the coronavirus pandemic. From his home, Shamsi spoke about his early days as a sewing player and his hopes for the rest of his career.
Were you playing dolls when you were selected for provincial age group teams?
At that stage, yes. But when I started playing cricket in high school, I was a fast bowler, or so I thought. I folded the seam. And when I was testing for the U-14 team, the coaches told me that I was not fast enough to be a fast bowler. He was pretty heartbroken because he was looking at guys like Allan Donald and Shaun Pollock. The truth is that I was running and playing bowling cutters, and the coaches suggested that I become a roulette. The coach of team A told me to become a secondary player and the coach of team B a shooter, so I asked each of them why I should become that type of bowler. The coach of team A said that being a subsidiary is easier and that bothered me. Why should you take the easier option? So I decided to become a wristband.
ALSO READ: “I did not know that parenthood was so difficult, it is uninterrupted”
Who was your mentor when you decided to change your bowling style?
No one, really. I saw a lot on television and did what came naturally to me. When I was bowling, I only had a slightly longer career, so even now, my career is quite long and I’m not too technical about things. At the time I was watching guys like Brad Hogg, because he was the only other left arm wrist shooter, and also Saeed Ajmal and how he turned the ball to the right. And then, of course, Shane Warne.
Is there a lot of planning now in your bowling alley?
Yes, I work a lot with our analyst, Prasanna Agoram, who adds a lot of value to our setup. He gets all the stuff and I study it, especially to see how hitters hit and where to throw the ball. That’s why I technically say I’m not worried, because if I’m worried about how high my arm goes, then I won’t land the ball where I want it. In general, I look at hitters to see where they hit the ball, to see how I should hit them, and then I like to do those things in practice.
This summer he had the opportunity to put his observations into practice internationally more than in any other season. How was that?
Ever since I joined the national team, I’ve been in the background, played here and there, and understood why I didn’t play much because of the work Imran Tahir was doing. Now, it’s nice to be able to play consistently and learn all the time and even make mistakes. As I said before, I look forward to going out and trying things and doing some things wrong because I have a chance in the next game to go out and fix it. And then when things work, it provides a little bit of reassurance that I’m on the right track, so it’s been nice to see that.
With that said, do you consider yourself South Africa’s front-line spinner in white ball cricket?
I never believe a place is mine, but I want to make the most of the opportunity. I had to wait three years on the sidelines and that was not pleasant, so now that I have the opportunity, I want to take advantage of it. We’ve talked a lot about defining roles and I know I don’t have to throw variations on each ball, for example. I have to be able to do both roles: attack and contain. And I saw it during the ODI series in Australia. Even when I didn’t take wickets, I saw that I could win games by keeping things tight.
Australia’s ODI series was the first trophy South Africa won in a difficult summer. How was the atmosphere in the dressing room this season?
What happens in administration is not our domain. What we discovered is that although the boys hadn’t played much international cricket, we all knew each other very well. We had been playing provincial and franchise cricket together and most of us started almost at the same time, so we had known each other for about ten years and knew each other’s games well. It is almost as if it worked for our benefit that the opposition did not know much about us. It was disappointing not to win more, but the boys really gelled well.
And we are not afraid to play great teams. This season we played against India, England and Australia, and although we didn’t do as well as we would have liked, we learned a lot. I am very excited for the T20 World Cup with Quinton de Kock, I think it will be great for us.
ALSO READ: ‘This Feels Like the Beginning’ – Tabraiz Shamsi
What is it like to be captained by de Kock?
I have known him for a long time, because we played provincial cricket when I was 15 and I was 16 or 17 and then we lost contact. He doesn’t speak much, but I know what he wants and he is very clear in his instructions.
How do you see the next years of your career? Are you focused on South Africa or will you still be looking to play in various leagues?
The way I started was through the leagues. I had the opportunity to play in the CPL and the IPL before playing for South Africa. I think it’s good to play in leagues because you learn a lot. It’s always good to go and pick up a few things from other players and learn how to get players out. If I get the chance, I will keep going, as long as it doesn’t interfere with South Africa’s commitments.
How did it happen that you brought magic tricks to your celebrations?
Magic has been a hobby of mine since I was young, and when I was in high school, around 14 and 16, I wanted to be a magician. Then I was selected for the U-17 and U-19 provincial sides, so I had to put magic in the background, but it’s always been something that intrigued me, like how to make things appear and disappear, so I kept working a little about it.
South Africa will not play again until a tour to Sri Lanka in May, but that is doubtful with the current pandemic. With so much uncertainty, what role do you think sport can play at a time like this?
As athletes, I think we can spread a positive message. Many people listen to athletes, so it is up to us to encourage them to do the right thing. We can also play a role in supporting our health workers. I really feel sorry for them. Everyone is afraid, but they are the ones who have to go out and help others.
