Rising South African fast bowling talent Gerald Coetzee is in line to make his Proteas debut when they take on the West Indies in the first Test at the SuperSport Park in Centurion on Tuesday.
Coetzee was a surprise selection in the squad ahead of Lungi Ngidi, and the 22-year-old will now get the chance to justify that selection if he makes the 11.
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It’s a new dawn for the Proteas, after Mark Boucher stepped down from the head coaching role after last year’s T20 World Cup, before Malibongwe Maketa took over as interim coach for the Test series against Australia in December.
‘Test cricket is priority’
Shukri Conrad was then appointed as the new Proteas Test coach, while Rob Walter will take over the white ball team, and Conrad has been looking to make his mark with the selection of Coetzee.
Speaking to the media on Friday, Coetzee said he was proud to be in the Test side and would make it a priority going forward.
“Growing up and loving cricket like I did, you see that greatness is measured in Test cricket. That’s because Test cricket is the toughest and most rewarding format, so for me it’s a priority,” explained Coetzee.
“That’s where I want to excel the most. T20 cricket is fun and helps me financially, but the purest thing for me is Test cricket and I will give priority to it.
Speed attack
Coetzee could play alongside star Kagiso Rabada, pace merchant Anrich Nortje and the prolific Marco Jansen, if the Proteas opt for a fast attack for the match.
Coetzee was then asked how his bowling pace compared to his fellow fast bowlers and who his heroes were growing up, while he also admitted that he had been interested in cricket since childhood.
“The fastest I can bowl I’m not sure yet, that’s a difficult question. It’s something I want to bring to the team, but it’s not something I want to focus on,” said Coetzee.
“If you want a real pace on a consistent basis, I will try and that is the main goal, but it will depend on my physical strength.
“Bowling wise I grew up studying Dale Steyn. I like Morne Morkel a lot, but Dale is my hero. The whole persona on the field, the aggression and the pace, I just want to be like him.
Coetzee continued: “I fell in love with cricket from a young age and I decided that I wanted to be a cricketer from the age of eleven. I gave up everything just to play cricket from a young age.
“I came through the ranks and was able to represent the (SA) U19 team which was a privilege. My journey then took me to the Knights where I played for the last four years.