Coach Shukri Conrad has announced that 23-year-old Tristan Stubbs is poised to secure the No.3 position in South Africa's Test batting lineup for the World Test Championship 2023-25 cycle.
Despite having played only one Test match, Stubbs has already made a significant impact in white-ball cricket for the Proteas, and his domestic red-ball statistics are equally impressive. In 18 first-class matches, Stubbs has amassed 1,205 runs, including five centuries. His latest century was an outstanding 302, scored off just 372 balls.
Stubbs concluded the 2023-24 CSA 4-Day Series Division 1 domestic season as the second-highest run-scorer, accumulating 562 runs at an astonishing average of 80.28. His remarkable season and evident talent have earned him a long-term opportunity at the No.3 spot for South Africa.
Conrad expressed his confidence in Stubbs, stating that he intends to give the young batter an extended run in the position. He pinpointed Stubbs' strong technique and imposing presence as key factors in his selection, particularly given the challenges of facing the new ball.
Since 2020, South Africa has experimented with nine different batters at the No.3 position, with Keegan Petersen being the only one to surpass 500 runs, though at an average of less than 30. The last South African to score a Test century from No.3 was Theunis de Bruyn in 2018, over six years ago.
Historically, the No.3 spot has been challenging for South Africa, with only four batters surpassing 1,000 runs in this position in Test cricket. Hashim Amla has been the most successful, scoring 25 of the last 27 Test centuries for South Africa from this spot.
Given the batting struggles in the last two ICC World Test Championships, Stubbs is seen as a promising solution to bring stability to South Africa's middle-order. Conrad highlighted Stubbs' psychological and technical readiness for the role, expressing confidence in his ability to handle the new ball and excel in the position.
Conrad concluded by stating his belief in Stubbs' potential, confident that he will be a valuable asset for the future of South African cricket.