Keegan Petersen's classy introduction leaves you wanting more

On January 12th, 2022, Keegan Petersen walked out at Cape Town with South Africa tottering at 17/2. The hosts had also watched Aiden Markram shoulder arms to a delivery that smashed into off stump, meaning that they would’ve been dreading the tricks the surface was capable of playing.

Unsurprisingly, Petersen also struggled at the start of his innings, especially as the Indian bowlers began turning the screw. Jasprit Bumrah caused him all sorts of problems outside off stump, whereas the examination against Mohammed Shami was just as stern.

The South African, though, barely flinched. He kept playing and missing. But he also kept telling himself that things will get better as the ball gets old and the Indian pacers tire. During that phase, he was constantly being reminded by the Indian slip cordon how much the ball was moving and that Petersen, much like Markram and Keshav Maharaj, was destined to fail.

The batter didn’t allow that to muddle his concentration and let that chatter fall on deaf ears. So much so that Virat Kohli, at one point, is alleged to have said to him, “I know you are listening.” For all we know, Petersen might well have been lending an ear. But the key, as top-class batters have said over the years, is that he ensured it didn’t have a detrimental effect on his batting.

To add further context, the Test at Newlands is a decider and could shape how this particular generation of South African cricketers feel, especially when playing at home.

Before the series, no Proteas outfit had never lost a Test series to India on these shores. So, if this side were to lose out, it wouldn’t just scar them for the duration of the rubber, it would also remain with them as long as they can right the wrongs – something that doesn’t come with a time guarantee.

Fair to say that the stakes were amped up significantly when Petersen was trying to find his feet at Cape Town. That he had to do so with Rassie van der Dussen looking skittish at the other end and with India creating extraordinary pressure, only added another layer of toughness to the task. And, boy, didn’t he rise to the occasion.

Apart from the application he showed at the start of the innings, there were many other occasions where his innate flamboyance took over – flamboyance that made people sit up and take notice. And, of course, wonder why the 28-year-old had played a grand total of four Tests before the contest at Cape Town.

The right-handed batter creamed nine boundaries throughout his essay and each was crafted with the kind of elegance that makes the cricket-watching population gape in awe.

Keegan Petersen's essay had class written all over it

There were a few front-foot cover drives, a few slashes over backward point, a couple of crunching back-foot punches and clips off his pads. Each, though, was executed as if Petersen was born to play those strokes – a trait you would not associate with many. In simpler words, you could watch Petersen bat all day and still not get tired.

For those who might not have followed the South African domestic circuit, this innings might have come as a surprise. For those who did, though, it seemed that this was finally the day when Petersen came into his own and fulfilled the potential that everyone knew he always had.

As things stand, the right-handed batter averages a tick over 40 in First Class cricket (40.47), having notched up 16 centuries and 30 fifties. He has also scored 6436 runs in red-ball cricket, indicating that he knows his way around these confines.

The international stage is usually a step up. But if anyone had watched him bat at Cape Town, they would’ve felt Petersen had been born and brought up on an international diet. He was that good.

From South Africa’s perspective, this couldn’t have come at a more opportune juncture. Over the past couple of years, the Proteas have struggled to field a stable batting unit. The retirement of AB de Villiers, Faf du Plessis and Hashim Amla hasn’t helped but the fact that they’ve not been able to find at least a couple of top-quality batters hints those spots were crying out to be grabbed.

In fact, there was a bit of Amla when Petersen transferred his weight forward for the cover-drive and the flick. There was also a bit of de Villiers when he stood tall and cracked the ball off the back foot. Most tellingly, though, there was plenty of du Plessis when he grit his teeth, buckled down and refused to crumble.

Ultimately, he fell victim to Bumrah but that, as most batters would testify, isn’t a crime. He had, by then, ensured South Africa had managed a respectable total. While he might admit he was due a few more runs, there can be no denying that he put on an absolute clinic till the time he was at the crease.

Hours ago, when Kohli had brashly suggested that Petersen was listening to all the verbal volleys India were firing, he may have been right. The South African, though, was more eager to show the world what he is made of and provide them a glimpse of how bright his batting future looks.

And, to an extent, his classy introduction to Test cricket has only left ardent cricket-watchers wanting more, irrespective of which team they support. That again is a compliment reserved for some of the finest to have played the game. If Petersen can be half as good, South Africa will have had plenty of success in the years to come.