Reeza Hendricks is prepared to embrace a role as starter when the Proteas make their latest attempt to win a World Cup in June.
Many have thought he should have been an opener on a number of previous occasions.
“Normally I’m the guy who’s gone as the backup,” he said. “It does feel different, but I’m looking forward to it, so see what it is like to potentially start. I don’t know what to make of it just yet.”
For the first time Hendricks will head to a World Cup as a prospective starter.
His previous World Cups — two in the T20 format and 2023’s ODI event in India — have been as a squad member whose opportunities to start depended on the fitness of others, most notably in the last few years, Temba Bavuma.
“The way things have gone in the last while, I’ve just taken things in my stride and whatever happens at the World Cup, starting or not starting, I’ll just take it as it comes and go out there and try to do my best,” said the 35-year-old.
Hendricks’ bit part role at ICC events has often been cause for heated debate, both in SA and from overseas observers.
In 2023 he started two matches because Bavuma was ill, scoring 89 against England, and was then back to running drinks even when the Proteas captain was struggling for form.
It was similar in 2022 — possibly worse — because he didn’t start a single match, despite being in the best form of his life. Again because Bavuma, as captain, had to play.
Hendricks holds no resentment about those times and is philosophical about whether his form was wasted at the last T20 World Cup. Fresh off a player of the series performance in England, in which he made three consecutive fifties, Hendricks had to be satisfied with a role on the bench.
“I don’t know if my best years are now, or maybe back then when I wasn’t playing. Look at the last T20 World Cup when I was in pretty good form, I don’t know if that was my best. Maybe I’m still getting to my best, I don’t think I’ll ever really know. I feel I have a lot more to offer.”
2019, was a massive disappointment. I learnt a lot from that - to make peace with what happens, to not expect things, have an open mindset, take things in my stride and just be okay with whatever happens
— Reeza Hendricks
There certainly wasn’t any outward display of annoyance on his return to the starting team with Hendricks reeling off three more fifties in his next four T20 Internationals, including one in a record run chase against the West Indies in March 2023.
The capacity to shake off what’s past was drawn from another painful World Cup experience — being overlooked for the 2019 ODI tournament in England.
“2019 was a massive disappointment. I learnt a lot from that — to make peace with what happens, to not expect things, have an open mindset, take things in my stride and just be okay with whatever happens. That is the mindset I’ve had since that disappointment. Whether I’ve been selected or not, to not put too much pressure on myself, to go out there and enjoy it. A lot of good things have happened from (having that mindset). A lot of lessons were learnt from that situation.”
A laid-back and quiet character by nature, Hendricks’ soft-spoken demeanour should not be misinterpreted as timidity. The way he has batted since that UAE World Cup illustrates as much. In 15 T20 International innings, he’s made seven 50s, averaged 43.5 and batted at a strike rate of 149.43. That latter figure is almost 20 points more than his overall international strike rate.
The Proteas’ run to the semifinal in India in 2023 was a pleasant surprise, though the outcome caused yet more heartache. “That game still leaves a bitter taste,” Hendricks said of the defeat to Australia in Kolkata.
“That was really disappointing, we felt we had a really good chance. The team was playing really good cricket. But again, we came that close, and next month we have another opportunity.”
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