Qeshile can captain SA, says coach
Peterson believes the wicketkeeper-batsman will make a fine leader
Warriors head coach Robin Peterson believes Sinethemba Qeshile can lead the Proteas one day after the talented young batsman was entrusted with the captain’s armband for the CSA T20 Challenge franchise tournament in Durban starting on Friday.
Peterson said the decision to appoint Qeshile as Warriors skipper was based on the growth he had seen from the young player in recent performances, both on and off the field.
“Sine has been part of our leadership group for a while now. It’s not that this comes from the left field.
“I’ve seen a steady growth in his confidence and being able to give his opinion, so I just feel it was time to get a fresh voice.
“I think he is a highly intelligent cricketer. He comes across as quiet, but in terms of his intelligence, he is right up there with some of the best young players in the country that I have spoken to,” Peterson said. Qeshile’s ability to put in a shift for the team when they needed it most was another attribute the Warriors mentor highlighted for his decision to hand the reins to the former Hudson Park High pupil.
“I like that whenever the team is in a crunch, he stands up. I think that is the type of leader we need in the team in terms of fronting up when things get tough,” he said.
Peterson touted Qeshile to achieve the highest honours in the game, saying the diminutive batsman’s work ethic and how he goes about his business was admirable.
“When I look at Sine, I see a guy who can go on to captain SA one day, not just the Warriors.
“I’ve been around a lot of great leaders within that dressing room for long periods of time with SA and he displays a lot of those qualities.
“He goes quietly about his business and gets the job done, he works incredibly hard, he is right up there with his fitness levels and leads from the front, so he ticks all those boxes for me,” Peterson said.
Peterson feels Qeshile is mentally tough enough to handle the role without letting it hamper his performances and believes the youngster’s steely determination will benefit the team. The former Proteas allrounder said Rudi Second, who captained the side for the Momentum One-day Cup competition, was not selected in the squad.
“Rudi didn’t make the T20 team. I think, by his own admission, it is not a format that he is drawn to.
“The game has moved forward and we have to have players whose mindsets are in tune with this format because it is moving all the time and becoming a lot more dynamic.
“So, it’s no knock on Rudi. We had to think format-specific players and that is what we have done with the players at our disposal,” he said.
The Warriors play their first match against the Imperial Lions on Saturday.
The Warriors squad is: Sinethemba Qeshile (captain), Gihahn Cloete, Jon-jon Smuts, Wihan Lubbe, Lesiba Nqoepe, Marco Marais, Aya Gqamane, Marco Jansen, Glenton Stuurman, Anrich Nortje, Tshepo Ntuli, Mthiwekaya Nabe, Stefan Tait, Lizo Makosi, Tristan Stubbs, Jade de Klerk.