Harmer ‘belongs’ in Proteas team: Maharaj backs fellow spinner

Some people wondered how incumbent Test spinner Keshav Maharaj would react once former Kolpak star Simon Harmer became available again for the Proteas, and it is undeniable that choosing both of them has been a tremendous success which has brought out the best of the left-arm spinner.

Maharaj and Harmer played in the same Proteas XI for the first time against Bangladesh and they ended up claiming 29 of the 40 wickets to fall as South Africa won both Tests by convincing margins.

For his part, Player-of-the-Series Maharaj, who took 16 wickets and scored 108 runs, is certainly a Harmer fan.

“It’s always nice having a spinner at the other end and Simon is a world-class performer,” Maharaj said.

“He has shown how much he has grown on the county circuit. He has also shown why he belongs in international cricket, not just because of his bowling but because of how he is a team man and especially his lower-order runs in both Tests.

“Under pressure, having returned to Test cricket, he showed why he’s world-class and I am really happy for him. I know there will be a time when he gets a lot more rewards.”

In the absence of Kagiso Rabada, Maharaj was very much the leader of the Proteas attack and he said his success was basically down to repeating the same things he did at domestic level.

“I’m just happy that it was a really good Test season. We crossed the line although the conditions were difficult and did not suit us. Credit to the team for responding well in all disciplines,” Maharaj said.

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“After not taking wickets in the first innings in Durban, Dean Elgar and Mark Boucher had a chat with me and said I was doing the right things and my time will come.

“I just tried to repeat my processes from what I’ve done in domestic cricket, with a few minor tweaks here and there for international cricket. I just tried to replicate what I had done before.

“As a team as well, it’s been about doing the right things in terms of culture and skill. Dean has done really well in his first season as captain. He’s a fighter and a character, which is what we needed.”