While Pakistan have to pick up the pieces of what remains of this Test series, the once clumsy Zubayr Hamza has not only morphed into a neat top-order batsman, but also one who is on the cusp of being South Africa’s 100th Test cricketer since readmission in 1992.
With regular captain Faf du Plessis missing the third Test at the Wanderers on Friday, if picked, Hamza will be South Africa’s golden representative centurion.
There is also the significant matter of his senior Cape Cobras teammate Pieter Malan also earning a deserved Test cap should Aiden Markram fail to recover from a thigh injury sustained in the nine-wicket win in the second Test at Newlands in Cape Town.
The Proteas will be captained by Dean Elgar.
That is the least of Hamza’s concerns, but rebutting his parents’ stories about him with a smile seemed high on his agenda. “I’ve heard a lot of stories from my parents. The one story I’m told is one of me playing football in the kitchen and ending up covered in fish oil,” he said.
“I never really thought cricket was the sport I was going to make a career of.
“I was more into football but as I’ve grown up, I’ve fallen more in love with the sport and the fact that I’m sitting speaking to you guys is just crazy. There’s a bit of nerves, but I’m enjoying it.”
The smile Hamza had was quickly banished by the hot sun that beat over the Wanderers as he took to his fielding drills.
The slip cordon that consisted of Hashim Amla, Elgar, Theunis de Bruyn and Temba Bavuma at gully also served to confirm where the spine of SA’s batting is located.
De Bruyn is the batsman most ill at ease with underwhelming showings in Cape Town and Centurion, albeit on challenging batting surfaces.
Should Hamza debut, he will most probably slot in at number six, while Malan could open if Markram is not passed fit.
Malan has 629 Four-Day Franchise runs at 52.41 this season, while Hamza’s collected 329 runs at 36.55.
Hamza has not quite hit the heights of the 2017/2018 season where he harvested 828 runs at 69 while Malan scored 892 at 55.75.
Hamza was not worried about his lower run output this season and also had the benefit of watching Pakistan’s terrific bowling attack at close quarters.
“It’s true that I haven’t started off that well franchise wise but I don’t feel out of form and that’s the difference,” Hamza said.
“I still feel like I’m batting well and that I have a lot to offer.
“The runs and the performances haven’t shown that but that’s not necessarily how I feel at the moment.”