OPINION: Test cricket has given Tristan Stubbs more versatility in his approach

When T20 cricket was first introduced, purists brushed it off as a bash-and-dash format which didn’t require the same level of skills as longer forms of the game.

Over the last two decades, however, it has developed into the most popular format, and it has been widely credited for keeping fans attracted to the sport.

And while it does favour batters, it requires significant all-round skill, and bowlers and catches can still win matches.

For evidence that having hard-hitting batters is not enough for teams to win T20 matches, we don’t have to look further than Tristan Stubbs’ latest performance for the Proteas.

Unusually patient

In the second T20 International against India in Gqeberha on Sunday, middle-order batter Stubbs showed uncharacteristic patience in leading a recovery which carried his team to victory.

Having established his place in the national limited overs setup since making his T20 International debut in 2022, he wasn’t given an opportunity in the Test format until this year.

He has since played five Tests, achieving his first century in the second match against Bangladesh in Chittagong last month. That knock came just a few weeks after his first ODI century against Ireland in Abu Dhabi.

And his exposure in longer formats has clearly played a role in helping him find his best form in T20 cricket.

Showing maturity

Had he not shown the patience he did against India on Sunday, South Africa would have lost the game and the tourists would have taken a 2-0 lead in the four-match series.

The maturity he displayed was largely thanks to what he has learned since being introduced to the Test arena where he has needed to stay calm and composed under pressure.

In the same way that T20 cricket has changed the face of Test cricket, with batters using their big-hitting skills to play more aggressively in the five-day game, Test cricket can also teach batters when to take their foot off the pedal in the short format.

Stubbs is a fine example of how much a player can grow when they carry their skills over across formats, becoming a key member of the SA team.