‘I am going to try push for as long as I can’ – Reeza Hendricks

Proteas top order batter Reeza Hendricks is entering the twilight of his career, but is planning to kick on for as long as he can, with him currently on national team duty in a four-game T20I series against India.

The 35-year-old, who made his professional cricket debut in a first class game back in 2006, has been a regular feature in the Proteas shorter format teams for the best part of a decade.

Having competed in this year’s T20 World Cup and come agonisingly close to claiming the trophy, after the Proteas were edged by India in the final, Hendricks was asked if he still has it in him to make the next T20 showpiece event in two years’ time.

Take it as it comes

“I would love to be a part of it, but it is a couple of years away, so I will take it as it comes. I still feel good. A lot of guys are playing until age 40, 40-plus these days, so I will try to push as long as I can. As long as the desire and passion is still there,” admitted Hendricks.

“I will see how it goes. There are a lot of (young) guys coming through the (domestic) system now. So as long as I am selected and as long as I am still scoring runs and winning games for the team, I will try to push for as long as I possibly can.”

Hendricks has been in terrific T20 form domestically and for the Proteas over the past few years, as evidenced by him winning back-to-back T20I player of the year awards, but endured a bitterly poor World Cup campaign.

From 2022 Hendricks enjoyed a golden run for the Proteas, as in 16 games leading up to the World Cup in June this year, he scored eight half centuries, three scores in excess of 40, one in excess of 30 and just three single digit scores.

World Cup form

But at the World Cup he came up very short, with scores of 4, 3, 0, 43 off 49 balls, 11, 19, 0, 29no, and then four in the showpiece finale.

“That was obviously a good run (pre-World Cup) and then I had a bit of a slump at the World Cup. It (poor form) is part of the game and it was disappointing at the time, especially coming at the World Cup, but we move on,” explained Hendricks.

“The conditions (at the World Cup) were quite challenging. Technically, nothing really stood out that I could put it (poor form) down to. Obviously just the time, when it started it never ended and continued for a good couple of games and longer than I would have liked.

“But as I said before it’s part of the game, hopefully I’m out of it now and hopefully runs can continue and I can put in those good performances again.”

In his last few T20Is for the Proteas Hendricks has rediscovered his scoring touch to an extent, with scores of 44, 51 and 51 in three of his last four innings against the West Indies and Ireland.

“I recently managed to get some runs against Ireland and hopefully I’m close (to my best again), hopefully that can continue and the runs can keep coming. Hopefully I can continue with the recent good performances,” said Hendricks.

Leading run scorer

A recent feather in Hendricks’ cap was him becoming the all-time leading run scorer in South African domestic cricket history, which he achieved during the Lions eliminator win over the Titans at the Wanderers last month.

He has also won back-to-back T20 titles with the Lions and three of the last five trophies, with him playing an integral role in many of those campaigns.

“As a player, milestones are part of (the game). It’s something we don’t (really) think of. We just go out there as batters to try score runs and win games. So it is quite an achievement and I am grateful for that,” said Hendricks.

“Being part of the Lions and winning another trophy is always nice. To be part of a winning team and a winning culture at an unbelievable team is special.

“Over the years I have been around and I just try to keep it as simple as possible. I try and formulate plans that work for me, and that has paid off. So I try to stick to that as much as possible. Hopefully the runs and plans can continue working for me going forward.”