More than six years into an international career that has seen him play over 120 matches — including four Tests — a pertinent question still remains about Andile Phehlukwayo: Will we ever see the best of him?
No-one doubts his talent, and at age 27, he’s still got time on his side. However, the fact that Proteas white ball coach Rob Walter said the national team were still in search of the sort of balance a seam bowling all-rounder provides, indicates how Phehlukwayo has still not stamped his authority on that position.
He has been both a victim and a beneficiary of South Africa’s desire for an all-rounder, continuing a lineage that in the post-isolation era has included names like McMillan, Pollock, Klusener and Kallis.
South African cricket even got to a “next Botham” stage at one point — the phenomenon that dominated English cricket for a couple of decades in which various all-rounders, or even those showing a modicum of ability as an all-rounder, were tagged as being the next Ian Botham.
Given Walter’s utterance before the SA20 tournament about his continuing search for an all-rounder — “the ultimate is to pick the five best bowlers, two of them are batting, then you get to balance the team any way you want to” — Phehlukwayo’s good early form for the Paarl Royals would have been noted.
“It’s not like he hasn’t been in good form for a while, even going back to last year,” said the Royals bowling coach Mandla Mashimbyi. “He got into the World Cup team and then had a good game (against Afghanistan) in the latter stages of the tournament. Against India he played well too.”
The problem has been the absence of an explosive match-winning performance, something that Phehlukwayo, given his all-rounder role, has done far too little of in his international career.
There was the memorable unbeaten 42 in his fourth ODI against Australia at Kingsmead, another unbeaten 62, along with four wickets, against Pakistan in 2019, also in Durban, which won South Africa an ODI from a seemingly unwinnable position.
Phehlukwayo’s contributions recently suggest consistency is gradually coming to the fore. He had two match-changing innings against Australia at the Wanderers, when he made 38 not out off 19 balls and the 39 not out, which helped to win the World Cup match against the Afghans.
One aspect many observers have noted is how when Temba Bavuma had been absent, and the Proteas were led by David Miller, Phehlukwayo’s performance improved. Miller is also captain at the Royals.
“They’re Durbanites, so they will have that natural understanding of each other. They’ve played a lot together and obviously there is a good connection and trust,” said Mashimbyi.
There is also the unique element — unseen publicly — of giving a player some love, something Mashimbyi feels Phehlukwayo occasionally needs. “That feeling of belonging is so important,” he said.
“Andile has played over 100 international matches; that means he is experienced, he should be treated as a senior player. He’s got a lot of experience, some good, some bad, but all of that builds character, and if he is made to feel valued in an environment, he can share that, and it will aid his performances.”
Phehlukwayo’s numbers in the SA20 aren’t remarkable: 37 runs in four innings, although a strike rate of 168.18 — given where and when he bats — is impressive, while his four wickets have come at an average of 30.50 and an economy rate of 8.71.
While the top order batters like Ryan Rickelton, Rassie van der Dussen and Jordan Herrman have garnered all the attention thus far from both a tournament perspective and T20 World Cup selection viewpoint, none of the all-rounder candidates have lit up the event yet.
Mulder on Saturday made a significant contribution for the Supergiants, scoring a 29 ball half century that will earn a tick next to his name, Marco Jansen has played only two matches for the Sunrisers Eastern Cape; and Beyers Swanepoel, whose domestic form in the last two seasons earned him a SA20 contract, has played just one match. Wayne Parnell has also only just returned from a long-term shoulder ailment.
With the SA20 reaching the halfway stage this weekend, there is still time to catch Walter’s eye, and performances in the latter stages of the competition, especially the play-offs, will have greater significance in terms of national selection.
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